Phoenix’s Tear: The Second Saga
by Pulsar
Summary: Tiger of the Wind has been found, but in a way that the Searchers never dreamed. Now, separated by necessity, they must travel different paths as the quest to defeat Moo and the search for their other missing friend transform into new courses...
1. Vision of a New Journey

Well, here we go again, I guess! I finally started official work on the sequel series to Phoenix's Tear! (I've been in the planning stages for quite some time, but…) Anyway, as you know, I don't own Monster Rancher officially; I'm just a fanfic author. I do have some original characters in here, though: if you want to use them, please contact me and ask for permission first. I've included both the prologue and the first chapter here, because of the way the chaptering system works… I hope that everyone will enjoy this series.

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Several months have passed since the Courageous Seven defeated Moo and the Phoenix rose.

After the battle, the searchers found themselves divided, as their common paths diverged once more.

Genki Sakura was returned to his world by the power of the Phoenix. Although he was loathe to leave his friends behind, the mystical firebird assured him that he would be able to return someday, for after her work was finished, she would establish a permanent bond between worlds. With the time frames of both now synchronized, he would be able to return at any time, with the aid of a special talisman that the Phoenix gave to him: one of her beautiful feathers.

Tiger of the Wind, desiring only to be reunited with his brother, left the others in search of him. Not entirely certain of where Grey Wolf was, his only absolute knowledge of his brother's fate being that the reptilian Naga murdered him, he simply followed his instinct, leaving no clue with the others as to when or if he would return.

Soon after the blue wolf's departure, the gentle stone giant Golem departed as well, eager to return to his home in the forest. The Phoenix's rising resurrected all of the lost monsters, including those in the Grave of the Disc, and he longed to see all of his friends again after all of this time. Promising to one day introduce his new friends to them, he left, heading home at last.

Hare, who had revealed a great deal of power during the journey, thanks to his mastery of the Phoenix's Tear, for once had no clue as to what his next move would be. Likewise, the young Mocchi, who had just been forcibly separated from his closest and dearest friend, was at a loss for ideas.

Eventually, the two youngest rebels chose to stay with Holly and Suezo, who had decided to settle down and try living on their own. The young maiden located a small ranch house, not far from where their quest had begun, and were able to establish a reasonably peaceful lifestyle there.

Time passed: the Phoenix completed her work and kept her promise, creating the link between Genki's world and his own. Genki eagerly returned, and happily reunited with Holly, Mocchi, Hare and Suezo. Although a little sad to discover that his other friends, Tiger and Golem, were unavailable to greet him upon his return, he still was ecstatic to see the others again.

Since then, he has attempted to visit as regularly as possible, and the five have settled into an almost normal routine.

However, things are not as idyllic as they may seem…and the former heroes will soon find themselves drawn into a situation where they will be forced to take up a new journey, a new quest…without even knowing for certain whether or not they will be able to make a difference this time…

* * * Episode 1: Vision of a New Journey * * *

A lilting, haunting melody drifted through the air, carried by the soft, cool breeze that was sweeping through the valley. The song came from a small, handcrafted flute, and its player closed his eyes in concentration as he let the melody rise, becoming clearer, stronger.

Hare felt himself relax as he continued to play, letting the music carry him to a place where he felt at peace. The tune was his own, based on his memories of the original songs his mother had used to write and sing for him, what felt like a lifetime ago. Playing these melodies helped him feel more connected to her, even if the songs had changed a little. That part of it couldn't be helped, since his mother played the harp instead of a flute (and while he did happen to know how to play that instrument as well, Suezo liked to tease him a lot about it, so he preferred not to).

Some distance away, a young woman stood listening to the sweet melody and smiled to herself. The wind played with her long, dark brown hair, setting it to dancing about her smiling face, and Holly smoothed it back with one hand, even though it did little good, for the wind continued to play with it the moment she moved her hand away.

Although only about five months had passed since her long quest for the Phoenix had come to an end at last, she looked radically different than she had back then. She now was letting her hair grow longer, and no longer caught it up in a ponytail. Her tunic's skirt hem was longer now as well, making it look more like a dress, although in other ways it looked the same as her traveling outfit had.

There was one thing that hadn't changed, though: the Magic Stone still hung around her neck, an ever-familiar presence. Holly reached up and clasped it gently for a moment, thinking about her travels with the others, and everything that they had gone through.

Her bronze eyes misted with gentle tears as her thoughts strayed to her father, and the monster he had become. She had never told the others that her beloved father had been the one who was possessed by Moo; she simply could never have revealed that to them. After all, she had known that in order to defeat Moo, they would have to destroy him, and she knew that if the others had known that the evil monster warlord was merged with her father, they might have hesitated to do what simply had to be done.

Moo had caused so much pain and suffering…but he was gone now, that was what mattered. Now, finally, the world was free of the dark monster, and would no longer have to deal with his evil intentions.

And surely that freedom was worth any personal sacrifices that she or any of the others had been forced to make securing it…wasn't it?

She shook her head suddenly to clear out this melancholy thought, and was startled to feel a sharp tug on her hand. Looking down, she smiled at once as she recognized the small pink monster that looked expectantly up at her.

"Oh, hello, Mocchi," she said, gripping his tiny hand firmly with her own. Mocchi grinned back up at her, then looked over at where Hare was sitting, still playing on his flute.

"Pretty song, chi!" he said, exuberant. Unfortunately, his sudden shout of this caused Hare to start with surprise, and he looked over at the two in confusion for a moment, still half caught up in the spell the music had woven.

"Oh…how long have you two been standing there?" he asked, blushing slightly with embarrassment as he got up and walked over to them. Holly just smiled, not offering an answer, and the three walked back toward her house, where she knew Suezo would be waiting for them.

Mocchi soon ran ahead of them, eager to get back, and he glanced back over his shoulder at them with a laugh. Taking this as a challenge, Hare smirked and darted after him, and Holly watched the two race in front of her as she walked, giggling at their antics.

Since the Phoenix's rising she had spent more time watching the younger monsters as they played together, something that they had precious little time to do during the quest, and had come to realize just how strikingly different they were personality wise, even though they were close to each other's age. Each had their own outlook on things, their own strengths and abilities, and both cherished their individuality.

Hare would probably always have a better grasp on life, people, and how the world worked than Mocchi would. Curious, inquisitive, always interested in learning new things, he would enjoy life from an intellectual standpoint. However, although Mocchi might face life with less understanding than Hare, he was not going to miss out in the least. Instead, he would meet each new day with youthful excitement, his overwhelming optimum infecting those close to him. While the full grasp of complex matters might be lost on him, in compensation he would always be in tune with the simple joys of life in which Hare, while understanding them, would never be able to enjoy without some self-consciousness. Holly knew that, in days yet to come, both of them would give her a special kind of happiness and joy…

…Unless something happened to take them away from her.

Holly gasped softly, truly startled by her own thoughts. _Where in the world had that come from?_ She slowed down, trailing behind the two monsters, as she found her thoughts drifting back to the final battle.

She remembered very little of it, truth be told: the last clear memory she had was being snatched up by Genki, and being carried by him as he skated away from Moo's attacks, attempting to get to a shrine in order to unlock the Phoenix's mystery disc. She vaguely remembered hearing somebody scream a warning – was it Hare who had shouted at them to look out? – and then a flash of black light and pain…searing, terrible pain…

…Then, the memory broke off, becoming fragmented, distorted, confused. The next thing she clearly remembered was standing beside Genki, slipping her hand into his, with Mocchi, Suezo, Tiger, and Golem standing in a circle around them, strange expressions on their faces.

"We're…alive?" Suezo had asked, clearly stunned by this fact, and then Hare had gasped with joy, and she learned that they had won…

Holly knew why she had no memories of the rest of the fight: she had been dead. Moo had apparently murdered both her and Genki with one shot, skewering both of them with his dark beams of light. It was a distinctly odd feeling, to know that you had died and yet, through some miracle, had come back to life again.

She learned later that the others had died as well; Tiger of the Wind, Golem, Mocchi and Suezo had been killed by the shock when their bodies released the Phoenix's spirit, reviving the firebird at the cost of their own lives. That had been another shock: to discover that her dear friends were all directly linked to the very thing they had been searching for. They had nearly been forced to give up their lives in exchange for the Phoenix's restoration.

However, Hare, who was also linked to the Phoenix, had survived the force of the firebird's awakening because of his lesser wounds and his link with the Phoenix's Tear. The mystical pendant had protected him, and later he had been able to use its power, boosted by the firebird's aid, to revive his lost friends and restore their broken bodies to full health.

It still scared her to know that all of them had died during the battle; it was an all too vivid reminder of their mortality. Something could have too easily gone wrong, and what then? All of them would have been dead, gone forever, having made the ultimate sacrifice in order to stop Moo forever…

__

…But then, wouldn't it have been worth it, if at least we had managed to stop him for good?

Holly did not have an answer to that question, and so she forced it out of her mind, concentrating instead on catching up with the others. She was able to easily enough: they had noticed that she was trailing behind and paused long enough for her to come up beside them. All three then headed back towards home, Mocchi unable to resist running ahead of them again in his eagerness.

Suezo was waiting for them, leaning against the side of the doorframe outside, and he smiled when he saw them coming up.

"Hey, Holly," he greeted, green-gold eye lighting up at the sight of her. "You just missed her; she was over here looking for you."

"Oh?" There was no need for anyone to ask just who "she" was; Holly understood immediately that he was referring to Coltia, one of their new neighbors. She was about Holly's age, and ever since their arrival had been trying to become good friends with them. However, she sometimes acted…a little TOO eager for friendship…

"Did she say what she wanted?" Holly asked, but before Suezo could answer, a sudden shout behind him caused everyone to turn around.

"Miss Holly!"

"Oh boy…" Hare sighed, sweatdropping along with Mocchi. Holly laughed nervously, understanding why neither one was exactly thrilled by this…

True to form, the moment Coltia saw the two younger monsters standing next to Holly, she let out a squeal of delight and scooped them up in a tight hug.

"Oh, you two always look so cute, cute, CUTE!" she sighed when she finally released them, while both Hare and Mocchi gasped for precious air. Holly and Suezo watched with big sweatdrops on the backs of their heads.

"How come she never does that to me?" Suezo whispered to Holly, although he couldn't exactly say that he was jealous of the attention she was giving the two younger monsters. Holly just hushed him and smiled nervously. Both of them knew that Coltia acted that way because she didn't have any monsters of her own. Still, Holly wondered if maybe Coltia was just that way all the time, monster or no monster…

"You wanted to see me for something, Colt?" she asked, using the younger girl's preferred nickname. Coltia blinked in surprise, staring at Holly for a moment as if she'd forgotten why she had come. Of course, it was possible that she had.

"Oh…that's right," she said, blinking her wide tan eyes again. "I wanted to tell you, somebody arrived at my Aunt Verde's shop yesterday, and said that they were looking for a friend of theirs…from the description, it sounded like he was looking for Hare."

"For Hare?" Holly asked, and she glanced back at the little rabbit in surprise. Hare looked just as startled as she was.

"Who would be looking for you, Hare?" Suezo wondered aloud.

"I don't know…what did they look like, Colt?" Hare asked, turning his gaze to the younger girl's face.

"Oh! …Well, he was about as tall as me, or that boy you have visit you from time to time…"

"Genki," Mocchi supplied the name for Coltia, who smiled at him gratefully.

"Yeah, that's right, he's about as tall as Genki! Anyway, I know he's some sort of mixed breed, 'cause he looks sorta like you, but instead of fur, he had all these green scales all over his body…"

"…A Scaled Hare," Hare mused, narrowing his eyes slightly in thought. "A Scaled Hare, looking for me…"

"…Yeah, I think that's what he was. Anyway, I'd better get going; Aunt Verde expects me back at the shop before dark. Later!"

With that, Coltia ran off, waving back at the others as she left. Holly sweatdropped slightly as she joined the others in waving goodbye, and she glanced up at the rapidly darkening sky.

"I don't think she's going to make it, do you?" Suezo whispered in Holly's ear. Holly nodded slightly, smiling.

"Bye-bye-chi!" Mocchi called, waving happily with Hare. After Coltia's running form had disappeared from view, both younger monsters looked back up at Holly. Hare tilted his head to one side inquisitively, and Mocchi gave her an entreating look.

Holly smiled back at them.

"Want to help me get dinner ready?" she asked, winking.

"Chi!" Mocchi cheered with delight, and he darted inside, while Hare and Suezo just shook their heads and laughed.

* * *

Later, Holly hummed softly to herself as she put away the rest of the dishes. The three monsters had helped her clean up after the meal, and she had sent them up to get ready for bed as she did a few last things. Suezo had made her promise to come up quickly; he didn't like it when she was out of his sight for long.

As she finished putting up and turned to leave, she found her gaze drifting over to the window, out into the starlit sky. Without realizing it, the tune she was humming changed in tone, switching from a bright, happy melody to one more wistful, more longing. She stepped forward and put both hands on the windowsill, leaning against it. A cool breeze from outside swept her hair back, away from her face, her suddenly tear-misted eyes.

This life she and the others were living right now…it seemed so peaceful, so perfect. Certainly, they had their share of troubles, but none of those problems really compared with the ones they had faced during their long journey to find the Phoenix. Lately, the most catastrophe thing that had happened to them was that Genki had once promised to come, only to find himself unable to because of trouble back in his world, and even that had been remedied fairly easily.

__

If only things could stay like this forever, she wished, clasping her hands in front of her as her wavering eyes remained locked on the sky. _But…somehow…I get the feeling that…this life may soon come to an end…_

"Holly!" Suezo called from upstairs; she had hesitated too long, and he was beginning to get worried. Pushing her dark thoughts out of her mind, Holly tore her gaze away from the window and turned away, heading upstairs to calm him down. Honestly, sometimes she thought that he worried too much about her…and maybe she was just worrying for no good reason as well…

* * *

"Is everything going according to the plan?"

"Yes, master. None of those responsible for the Phoenix's rising are currently aware of what is happening. Those fools have no idea…"

"Good, good. They should be kept in the dark for as long as possible."

"I do not understand what makes it so important for them not to know. It is not as if any of them could stop you."

"I am aware of that; however…"

"It is better to be cautious. They will know soon enough, after all…although it will be too late for them at that point."

"Yes…"

"I am concerned about those two, however. The girl who bears the Magic Stone and the wielder of the Phoenix's Tear. Is it not possible that they might be able to sense what is happening?"

"Perhaps. Perhaps not. Does it really matter?"

"It may, and it may not. We have no way of knowing for certain yet…"

"Stop your worrying. Even if they do somehow figure out what is going on, they are too scattered to do anything about it. Remember, the Phoenix is linked to five monsters, and if they are not gathered together…"

"Yes, but still…"

"Listen, you're all worrying for no reason at all. After tonight, once he has finished his mission, those rebels will be too shattered to gather themselves again."

"Perhaps you are right. We shall see…"

"Everything starts now, doesn't it?"

"Yes…"

* * *

__

Drip, drip, drip…

A steady sound, keeping a certain rhythm. Quiet, hushed, it seemed to pound in the listener's ears all the same, each drop sounding like a crash of thunder.

Drip, drip, drip…

An image glimpsed briefly in black shadows, of clear brown eyes, widening with fear. A crimson swipe swept over them, and their owner fell back, clutching at his neck. Another flash of red swept across the watcher's view, and then the scene changed again, to a young boy laying half-wrapped in sheets, sprawled out on his bed.

Genki Sakura's blank eyes stared without seeing into endless darkness, his tortured body covered with splotches of his own blood. One of his arms, hanging lifelessly over the side of his bed, had a particularly deep gash in it, one that still dripped onto the stained floor…

Drip, drip, drip…

* * *

Wavering brown eyes shot open violently, and Hare gasped in horror, sitting upright with a start. Breathing raggedly, he slowly became aware of the fact that tears were rolling down his pale cheeks unbidden. The memory of his nightmare crashed down upon him, and he buried his face in his paws and wept, struggling to quiet his sobs so that they would not awaken his friends.

__

Th-that dream! He thought, shuddering violently. _D-Don't tell me…was that a vision? No, not again…_

* Genki…is Genki in danger? I-I have to warn him somehow! *

* Genki! *

* * *

"…Huh?"

Clear brown eyes slowly opened, and Genki blinked tiredly. There was an annoying light flickering in his face, and the boy groaned as he shielded his eyes with one arm. When this didn't work, he sleepily rolled away, attempting to turn his back to the source of the light so he could…

__

WHAM!

Unfortunately, he suddenly realized that his bed was a little too small for that. Head throbbing, Genki soon became aware of the fact that he was upside down, his messy brown hair pressed against the floor while his legs jutted into midair, still tangled in his covers. It took a few minutes of fumbling and thrashing before he could right himself, and by that time he was pretty much awake.

"Aww, man," he muttered, irritably pushing his bangs away from his face. Standing up, he stretched out his arms and yawned loudly, and suddenly a faint glimmer caught his attention again. Glancing over, he saw the feather that the Phoenix had given him sitting out on his desk, glowing faintly.

"…Eh?" Genki blinked his tired eyes in confusion: he was certain that he had stored that so that his mother would not come across it accidentally. He didn't want to have to explain it to her. Careful not to step on any of the junk cluttering his floor – Monster Rancher toys, various games and sports equipment – he made his way over to his desk. The feather continued to glow and shimmer slightly, looking almost as if it was aflame, and Genki stared down at it, trying to make sense of what was happening. Finally, he shrugged and reached down to pick it up.

__

* Genki! *

"Hare?" Genki asked aloud, startled by the suddenness of the voice's appearance in his mind. He looked around, almost expecting to see Hare standing in his bedroom with him; he had heard his voice so clearly.

He could sense something else, too; an almost overwhelming fear, confusion, worry about him…Hare's mind was in chaos. At least, he thought it was Hare's thoughts he sensed washing over him, for an image came clearly to him of the young rabbit sobbing, crying softly to himself.

"Hare?" he asked again, and suddenly the Phoenix's feather in his hand began to glow again. Looking down at it, Genki suddenly decided on something.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to go check on them," he said to himself, smiling slightly. "After all, Mom's asleep right now…this shouldn't take too long…"

Holding the gleaming feather in both hands, Genki focused on what the Phoenix had taught him to do. A clear image came to his mind again, of Holly's house, and the other world.

A fire-like aura flashed around him for a second, so bright that he could see it even behind his closed eyelids, and when he opened them, he was in the Monster Rancher world again. Specifically, he was standing a few feet away from Hare's bed, and he watched the young rabbit cry for a few moments more, unaware of his presence.

"Why are you crying, Hare?" he asked, and Hare jerked with surprise.

"Genki…what are you doing here?" he asked, staring up at the boy in shock. Genki just grinned and winked mischievously.

"I thought I heard you crying, so I came to see what was up," he explained. Hare blinked in surprise, looking even more startled.

"You…heard me crying?" he asked. "But how could that be possible…"

Genki interrupted him, shrugging it off. His clear eyes were solemn as he repeated, "So what's up? Why were you crying, anyway?"

"…I'm…not sure…but I think…I think I may have had a vision," Hare explained. It was Genki's turn to start in surprise with that.

"What?" he said, staring at the rabbit. "B-but you haven't had anything like that happen since…since…"

"Since the Phoenix defeated Moo," Hare supplied for him, brown eyes darkening with thought. He glanced back down at his chest, fingering the Phoenix's Tear, which still hung around his neck. Genki watched him for a few moments, lost in his own thoughts.

"…So what do you think you saw?" he asked.

"…I'm not sure…nothing…everything," Hare murmured, still looking down at his pendant. It shimmered a little bit, and he said, "I remember hearing all these voices…I didn't recognize any of them. I couldn't make out most of the words…just a few snatches here and there. Something about plans…and not wanting those who caused the Phoenix to rise to find out."

He paused, then raised his wavering brown eyes to lock with Genki.

"I saw you die," he said bluntly, suddenly. "You were laying on a bunch of tangled white sheets, and they were stained with your blood. There was blood everywhere…"

Genki stared at him as the rabbit's voice trailed off, and Hare began to tremble again, the memory of the boy's dead body suddenly coming back all too clearly.

"Hey, don't let it get to you," he said, reaching over and holding the rabbit's shaking shoulders reassuringly. "I'm not dead, see? I'm perfectly okay, everything's fine…"

"But what if it was a warning?" Hare asked, looking up at Genki with wavering brown eyes.

"It wasn't, Hare," Genki told him, smiling. "It was just a nightmare, nothing more. We've defeated the enemy, remember? Nothing bad's going to happen…"

He could tell Hare was unconvinced, however, and sighed silently to himself, wondering just how he could convince his friend that everything was just fine. After a few moments, an idea occurred to him.

"Look, how about I show you my room?" he asked suddenly, startling the rabbit. "If I take you back to my world, you can see that everything's fine there, that nothing's out of the ordinary. Then you'll know that it was just a nightmare you had, not a warning…"

"…Can you really do that?" Hare wondered. The boy shrugged.

"Only one way to find out," Genki said, and he grabbed hold of Hare's paw with one hand. Before Hare could protest, the boy had used the feather to transfer back to his world, and he heard the rabbit gasp in shock as they appeared back in his room. Opening his eyes, Genki was about to laugh at his friend's surprise, when something he saw made the words freeze on his tongue.

A hulking, muscular figure stood over the boy's bed. Its back turned to where Genki and Hare stood in stunned silence, the creature's attention was completely focused on what it was currently doing. Long, curved talons tore again and again into soft white sheets, ripping through fabric with deadly efficiency. Pieces of stuffing and downy feathers sprayed everywhere, and still the shadowy creature continued its work, shredding apart the bed in which Genki had been peacefully sleeping until a short while before.

There was no mistaking the fact that the creature obviously still assumed this to be true. Genki watched in dull shock, unable to fully grasp what was happening right away, then he quickly glanced at his companion. Hare was staring at the boy's would-be assassin, brown eyes wide, breath coming in short gasps. The beast's reptilian tail lashed from side to side as it worked, and its clearish-blue scales glittered in the moonlight that streaked through the window.

The monster – for it was a monster – finished its work, and stood regarding the shredded sheets and pillows for a few seconds.

"Funny…I had thought that there would be more blood than this," it mused aloud, then it turned and froze as its piercing gaze suddenly fell upon where the two were standing paralyzed. Startled, it gaped back at them, and its hesitation gave Genki and Hare enough time to see clearly the medallion that gleamed on its thick chest.

"…Ah, so that is it," it hissed, a smirk twisting its thin blue lips for a second. "Naughty child, don't you know that all good little boys should be in bed when it's this late?"

"Who are you?" Genki demanded, as he and Hare hastily dropped into more battle-ready stances.

"Me? I am Aqua Cutter, and that is all you need to know, rebels," the monster snarled, and it abruptly leapt forward, talons flashing out toward them.

Genki and Hare leapt in separate directions, and the naga hybrid's claws sliced through empty air. Hissing, it turned to face the boy, and Hare quickly wound up his Guru Guru punch, slamming it full-force into the serpent's cheek. Aqua Cutter grunted and whirled to face him, swinging back his arm in retaliation. By chance, one of his talons nicked the side of Hare's foot, and the rabbit winced as he landed, springing away before the monster could get his claws on him.

"Evil…" Aqua Cutter intoned, pointing directly at Hare. A sullen, ice blue tinted light pulsed around his hand, and he brought it back behind him as a ball of crackling energy formed in it. "Sho-WHUMPH!"

Genki grinned as he watched the pillow he had thrown hit the reptile monster full in the face, sending downy white feathers flying everywhere. Sputtering, Aqua Cutter tossed the pillow away, and swiped again at the boy, this time hitting his mark. Genki could not even scream as he was knocked back against one of his bedposts, and the wood cracked under the force of his impact. Dazed, he groggily looked up at Aqua Cutter as the leering snake went in for the kill, claws flashing in the moonlight…

Then the reptilian's face twisted in sudden agony as a flash of crimson fire surged into his outstretched hand, the intense heat instantly beginning to melt his claws. Genki looked over to see Hare kneeling on the top of his desk, one paw still pointed in front of him, breathing hard.

"Master!" Aqua Cutter screamed, holding his scorched hand in agony. "Master, please save me!"

The last word had barely passed the reptilian's lips when he vanished, a sudden flash of ice blue light marking his hasty departure. For several moments, the only sound in the bedroom was the ragged breathing of the two searchers, and then Genki took a deep breath.

"Hare…I think you may have just saved my life," he said quietly.

Hare was silent at this, his wavering brown eyes distant, and Genki trailed off, lost in his own thoughts. The two stood quietly, regarding the ruins of the boy's bed: the tattered sheets, the mess of stuffing and feathers. Finally, Genki turned away and started picking his way through the mess on his floor, heading towards his closet.

"I'm getting my things, then we'll head back to Holly and the others," he explained. Hare nodded mutely, still staring at what remained of Genki's bedsheets, and the boy turned his attention back to finding his skates.

Hare shivered, all too easily able to picture bloodstains on the tattered sheets, then he bent to heal the small cut on the bottom of his foot. He was lucky, he knew, to be able to get away with so minor an injury: things could have turned out a lot worse. And at least, with the Phoenix's Tear's healing abilities, he wouldn't even have to worry about getting a limp.

After a while, Genki emerged from his closet again, and Hare looked up at him. The boy was now dressed in much the same way he had during their quest: cap holding back his unruly bangs of dark brown hair, blue shirt and brown shorts, skates hanging off of his backpack. The boy sweatdropped slightly as he looked back at the ruins of his bed again.

"My mom is going to kill me," he joked weakly, and they both laughed quietly for a moment, knowing that would probably be the last of their worries soon enough…

* * *

"You have failed us, Aqua Cutter."

The reptilian bowed low, his face inches away from the ebony stones beneath him, his wounded hand pressed against his chest.

"I am sorry, master," he said, wincing with each word, "but I did not expect the boy to have a guardian with him. That damned rabbit cost me my prey!"

"The rabbit who wields the Phoenix's Tear?" Disbelief and outrage filled this voice as it bellowed, "How could you let him find out, you idiot? Do you have any idea what you've done?!?"

"Calm down," another voice said, its owner also hidden from the reptile's sight. "You knew before we sent him that it was possible that he might sense what was happening. It was a risk you were willing to run."

"Yes, but still…!"

"There is still little that they can do. Remember that all five of the chosen ones must be together for them to pose a real threat. They are still scattered, separated. There is no cause for alarm…"

"Yes…yes, you are correct, of course. There is nothing those fools can possibly do…"

"All the same, we must now be more cautious in our work…it would not do to throw everything away by being too overconfident."

"Of course…"

Aqua Cutter continued to keep his submissive stance, and silently ground his teeth together, dark eyes glittering with hatred. He would not soon forget this humiliation, having to wait while his superiors discussed their next actions. He wasn't even bothering to listen, his thoughts completely focused on how he would get his revenge.

__

I may not have been able to complete my mission tonight, rebels, he thought bitterly, _but I will kill your bratty child of a leader! I will make you pay for this!_

* * *

"Wha-aaat?" Suezo cried out, staring at Genki and Hare in shock. It was morning, and the sun streamed through the open window. The last thing that Suezo had expected to see when he got up was Genki, and certainly he had not been expecting the news that the boy had…

"What do you mean a baddie attacked you?" he demanded. "How in the heck would a baddie even GET to your world? And what in the heck is a baddie even DOING being AROUND?!? Moo's kinda DEAD, you know…"

"I don't understand it either," Genki said, frowning as he crossed his arms, "but I know what we saw. That was definitely a baddie crest he was wearing, and he was definitely trying to kill me."

"Chiii…" Mocchi clung to the boy's hand, huge eyes wavering with fear as he peered up at his friend and partner's face. It was incredibly difficult for him to grasp the fact that someone might have killed him just a little while ago; the concept was completely out of the question. Noticing this, Holly reached over and patted the young monster's back, while at the same time wondering just how she would be acting if the baddie had managed to complete his mission…

__

…But he didn't, and he won't, she told herself sternly.

"So, if a baddie attacked you, then that must mean…" she started to say.

"…No way," Suezo interrupted, eye wide with fear. "There is no way that he could come back. NO WAY! …Right?"

"…I don't know…but…that seems to be the only explanation," Hare mused. The other rebels stared at him; each lost in their own thoughts.

__

…Father…have you come back? Holly wondered, her fingers straying to the dagger she still carried with her and giving its hilt a slight squeeze. _Or has somebody else become linked to Moo's mind?_

__

Moo might be back? …This is not real, this isn't happening… Suezo told himself, breathing hard and sweatdropping.

__

…If Moo's come back…would that mean that…? Hare broke off that line of thought suddenly, shivering.

"…No matter what's happening, I think that we should find the others first," Genki said, standing up and shouldering his backpack. The others looked up at him and nodded.

"I agree," Hare said, standing. "If Moo has returned, then we'll need to summon the Phoenix again to fight him. And to do that, we need to have everyone with us…"

__

* …Plus, they're probably in a lot of danger off by themselves, even if Moo isn't the threat we're facing… *

That thought went unspoken, and the rebels all nodded in agreement. Hare and Suezo went to gather their things, and Holly retreated back into her room to change, closing the door behind her. It didn't take long to find her old traveling bag, and as she drew out her old hair ribbon, she took a long look at her reflection in the mirror. The Magic Stone glimmered, catching the light reflected from the mirror's surface, and she looked at its image before her, bronze eyes wavering a little.

__

Well, father, I guess I was wrong in thinking that I would never have to use this again, she mused. Reaching out, she brushed the tips of her fingers slightly against the smooth glass; it felt cool under her touch.

__

Father…have you returned as well? Or are you gone forever? Are you, father?

The silent mirror gave her no reply; she expected none, of course. She stood regarded the young woman before her a few moments more, then reached up and caught up her hair. Holding it behind her, she tied her ribbon around it, tying the ends into a bow. As she let it slip back behind her, caught up in a ponytail once more, she now faced a girl she never thought she would see again. The thought of that made her smile slightly, although it was a sad, fleeting smile.

* * *

"Hey, Holly," Genki said, grinning at the girl as she stepped outside of the house. He was already waiting outside with the three monsters, and she stared at all of them. Hare was carrying his old bundle, bobbing on the end of a stick. Suezo had found his old travel pack, too, and had secured it firmly in place. Mocchi wasn't carrying anything, but that didn't seem to bother him in the slightest, and the youngest monster was running circles around the others, eager to get going.

It was almost exactly like the old times, those several months past, with the sole exception that two of their members were notably absent. Holly caught herself staring and flushed bright red for a moment, quickly looking away.

"What's wrong, Holly?" Genki asked, watching her in confusion.

"No-nothing," she said, turning a wistful smile back on him. The wind seemed to tug slightly at her caught-up hair, as if trying to urge it out of its confines, and she smoothed it back again.

"Well then, let's get going!" he cheered, whirling around and starting down the path.

"Genki, wait!" Holly called.

"Don't you think that maybe we should get some supplies in town first?" Suezo added. Genki looked back at them, startled.

"Um…yeah! Exactly!" he said, then he whirled back around and started off again, saying, "Come on, let's go!"

"But Genki…" Hare said, and the boy looked back at the others again. Seeing that none of them had moved, Genki let out a groan of annoyance.

"What's with the holdup, people?" he demanded, fuming. In response, Hare simply turned and pointed in the opposite direction.

"Oh, nothing…just that the town is that way…"

"Oh…I knew that," Genki lied, quickly reversing direction and running back past them. Holly and the monsters just sighed and shook their heads.

"Same old Genki," Suezo commented, closing his eye and shaking his head scoldingly. "Tsk, tsk, tsk…" Then he happened to open it again and saw that the others had already left, and he looked up in time to see them racing after Genki.

"Hey, wait up, wait for me, hold it!" he shouted, hopping after them. "Wait, wait, waaiiittt!"

"Same old Suezo, too," Hare commented mildly, then he joined the others in laughing as they raced each other toward town. At least this journey was off to a good start…and with any luck, things would stay this way, he told himself as he ran after his friends.

* * *

Far away, somewhere thousands of miles from the five searchers, a cloaked figure slowly raised his head, eyes glowing crimson behind an ebony mask. An icy wind tore at his long, flowing black cape, and equally long hair flew behind him as he stared off toward the blood-red horizon.

"And so it begins…" he murmured, wind howling around him.


	2. Scaled Swords

* * * Episode Two: Scaled Swords * * *

"Welcome to Verde's Shop, may I…Holly! Hello!" Coltia exclaimed, looking up at the sound of the door's swinging open and seeing the older girl standing there.

"Hi, Colt," Holly greeted her, smiling. "Is your aunt in right now?"  


"Yeah, hold on, she's in the back. I'll go get her," Coltia said, getting up as she spoke. As she stood, her elbow happened to graze the side of a bowl beside her, knocking off of the desk. Genki barely managed to catch it, and the others sweatdropped slightly.

"Um…that's okay, I'll go talk to her myself," Holly offered, excusing herself from the room. After she left, Genki helped Coltia replace the bowl on a shelf, out of harm's way.

"Wow, thank you so much for catching it," she gushed, beaming over at him. "I just don't know what I would have done if it'd broken…I'm so clumsy sometimes…"

She stuck her tongue out teasingly and grinned, and Genki sweatdropped for a moment. While Coltia was only a little younger than Holly, she was much shorter than the other girl, and was on eye level with him. In some ways, she looked like a younger copy of Holly, in fact: her short tan hair was several shades lighter, but the style she wore it in was similar, and her caramel eyes held the same brightness.

However, personality wise…well, Genki had overheard Suezo saying more than once that he thought Coltia acted like a female version of the over-energetic boy, and he wasn't entirely certain on whether that was supposed to be a compliment or a complaint… He had to admit, though, he could see what the eyeball monster meant.

"So what exactly are you guys looking for?" she was asking, snapping the boy back into reality. "Anything in particular?"

"Just some traveling supplies," he replied, turning and beginning to sort through some of the items on the shelves. Coltia looked over at him, tan eyes wide with curiosity.

"Oh, so you're going on a journey? Where to?"

"We're going to visit some of our friends, that's all," Suezo interrupted, giving the two humans an odd look.

"Find Golem and Tiger, chi!" Mocchi cheered, hopping up and down.

"Golem? Tiger? …Oh, right, those two that Holly sometimes talks about…it must be great, knowing that you're going to see your friends again…"

Coltia looked down at her feet for a moment then shook her head suddenly, and the smile she aimed back at Genki was apologetic.

"Whoops, sorry about that," she said, beaming again. Turning back to the shelves behind her, she continued, "So anyway, just give me some idea of what you might need. I'll see what I can find."

"…Colt?" Genki asked, staring at the girl in surprise. He wasn't entirely certain, but for a moment he had gotten the distinct impression that she was about to cry. But the smile she turned back on him seemed genuine, and he relaxed again.

"…Colt…Hey, um…do you remember what you came to tell us yesterday?" Hare suddenly spoke up. Coltia glanced back at him, blinked once, then suddenly gasped as she remembered.

"Oh, that's right! That monster who came around here looking for someone like you!"

"…Hare?" Genki asked, staring back at the young rabbit in surprise; this was the first he'd heard about anything like that. Hare looked down at the floor for a few moments, apparently lost in his own thoughts.

"…Yes, well…is that guy…do you know if he's still in town?" he questioned, looking back up at her. Coltia paused, thinking hard for a moment, then suddenly nodded.

"Yeah, I think he's still around," she replied. "In fact, I think he stayed at the inn last night…do you want me to help you find him?"

"…Yeah," Hare confirmed, nodding. "I want to see who it is…"

"Okay, then…" Coltia squeezed past Genki and walked over to the door, motioning for him to follow her. Over her shoulder, she shouted, "I'm going out for a while, Aunt Verde! Be back soon!"

"Okay!" a female voice called back from another room, and Coltia led Hare outside. Genki, Mocchi and Suezo glanced at one another, then hurried after them.

"We're gonna see what's up; later, Holly!" the boy cried over his shoulder as he ran outside.

* * *

"Genki?!? …Oh, boy," Holly sighed, sinking back into her chair. "Sometimes I think he's a little too curious for his own good…"

"I'm sure that they'll be fine," Verde assured her, a motherly smile on her face. Picking up her cup of tea, she blew on it to cool the warm liquid before taking a sip. As she set it back down before her, she added, "After all, he has taken care of himself before, isn't that right?"

Holly nodded silently, eyes closed. Privately, she wondered if it had been a good idea to tell Verde about their original quest, and about how they had fought Moo and summoned the Phoenix, but she sensed that the older woman was trustworthy. At least, she hadn't fainted or burst out laughing when Holly had told her about them being the ones that saved the world; that was a good sign…

* * *

"Colt, I don't think it's a very good idea to come in here…" Suezo warned, surveying the inside of the tavern nervously. The girl brushed past him, Genki following behind her, and she waved off his words as being overcautious.

"Don't worry," she assured him with a giggle, "Nothing's going to happen. You're such a worrywart sometimes, Suezo! Besides, we're just coming in to see if we can find that…oh! There he is!"

She pointed, and Hare stared over at a lone figure, sitting silently at a table in the corner, apparently oblivious to everything else in the room. He took a deep breath, trying to get a closer look at the face, wondering just who this was that wished to see him…

He was a half-breed monster, like the majority of monsters in this world, meaning that he combined some of the characteristics of two very different types of creatures. In his case, he possessed the blood of both the Hare breed and the Zuum breed, or perhaps the latter was actually that of a Dino: the two latter types shared so many similar traits that some critics argued that they should be considered the same species.

His body was obviously that of a hare: his long, pointed ears were pricked slightly even now, listening to something. However, instead of a rabbit's soft, cuddly fur, his body was instead covered in strong, leathery green scales, albeit scales that were unusually soft and responsive to the touch. What little fur he did have, on his face and chest, was also tinted a faint, light green, and his eyes were a startling shade of violet-brown, with hints of red that sparkled in the light of the tavern.

A thick, leather cloak of natural tan was draped over his shoulders, a few folds encircling his neck as well, and the leather looked well worn and traveled. Indeed, he must have been a traveler, for there was something about the way his deep violet-brown eyes gleamed that suggested he knew the ways of survival, and of traveling alone…

Suddenly Coltia let out a squeal, and Hare snapped to attention. Whirling around, he saw at once what was the matter: a burly-looking man had slapped the girl on the back, startling her. As she glared over at the one who had struck her, he seemed unconcerned, and leered suggestively.

"I think we should get going," Hare said, the man's expression setting off alarms in the back of his mind. He took a last, fleeting glance back at the cloaked half-breed still sitting in the corner; he was certain that he knew him somehow, but at the moment, the way eluded him… He wanted to try talking to him, to see if that would remind him, but he knew better than to stay in a place like this. He hated places like this, anyway: the reek of alcohol and other unpleasant scents always made him start to feel sick after a very short while.

"Yeah…" Genki said, and he hastily took hold of a fuming Coltia's shoulder and guided her away before she could belt the creep. Hare quickly followed after them, staying close to his two human friends. Suezo and Mocchi had not left the doorway, and stood there uncertainly, eager to get going.

Suddenly a deep voice growled, "Hey, where are you going?" and Hare felt himself freeze as thick fingers abruptly tightened around his arm. Glancing behind him, his breath quickened slightly with fear as he caught a glimpse of a man's face glowering down at him.

"W-What do you mean, sir?" he asked, trying to keep his voice from shaking. Genki and Coltia looked back, and Hare noticed that both humans tensed as they saw what was going on.

The man's scowl deepened, and his grip on Hare's arm tightened slightly, the dirty, broken fingernails digging slightly into his skin. The little rabbit sucked in a gasp at the dull pain in his arm, and he struggled to keep calm as he looked up into the man's face.

"Why is a little monster like you," and the man's tone seemed to turn the word 'monster' into a curse word, indicating a sort of disdain for him, "wearing something as fancy as that?"

"What?" Hare glanced down; the Phoenix's Tear had slipped slightly on his chest, glimmering faintly under the fabric of his kerchief. Looking up at the scowling man's face, he attempted and failed a smile as he explained, "Oh, that's just my pendant. I…"

Whatever he was going to say next turned into a gasp of pain as the man tightened his grip even more, and Hare involuntarily attempted to jerk his arm away.

"Yours, huh?" the guy asked, his voice dripping with mockery and disdain. "No stupid little monster brat like you should have something so pretty; you're too dumb to understand those sort of things. That little trinket would suit my own daughter better…"

And with that, he reached down and seized the Phoenix's Tear with his other hand, trying to yank it off. Genki, fuming at the older man's bigotry, immediately stepped forward to help his friend, grabbing the thick arm and tugging it away.

"That's my friend you're harassing," he snarled, his normally cheerful voice dripping with sudden venom. The older man glared at him, and suddenly brought his hand back, smashing his fist across Genki's cheek and sending him reeling.

"Genki!" Hare cried out, and then winced again as his harasser twisted his arm behind him, grubby fingers clutching at the Phoenix's Tear again.

"Leave him alone, you creep!" Coltia snarled, hands balling into fists. Behind her, Genki coughed and righted himself; hand flashing across the bottom of his lip in an attempt to wipe away the blood that had appeared on it. Suezo and Mocchi had moved from the doorway, as well, and now they were standing beside their two human friends, glaring at the jerk.

"Stupid monsters, forgetting your place in the world…to serve us humans, your superiors! Am I right, everybody?" he yelled, turning his attention to the others gathered in the tavern.

To his surprise, however, the other patrons of the restaurant did NOT cheerfully support his views with a shout of agreement. Instead, harsh glares tore into his body, and angry murmurs swept through the room. He sweatdropped slightly: apparently his views were not as popular as he had thought.

"Damn, you guys are a bunch of sissies," he slurred, the drink showing through a little more, and he fumbled to yank at the struggling Hare's pendant again. Hare was squirming too much for him to get a good grip, however, and he brought up his hand in preparation to smack the little rabbit.

Suddenly, however, something seized his wrist and tightened like a vice, cutting off the blood supply immediately. The man's face went white with shock, and his grip on Hare's arm loosened slightly. Hare glanced up, and caught a glimpse of his savior: it was the Scaled Hare he had seen sitting in the corner, standing directly behind the man and gripping his arm firmly.

"Stop this," he demanded, violet-brown eyes smoldering with anger. The man gasped blankly, widened eyes flicking back to his attacker's face, and the hybrid tightened his grip, he ordered, "Release him. _NOW._"

Unable to protest, knowing that he would lose his hand if he tried to fight back, the man reluctantly released his grip on Hare's arm. Hare stumbled forward the moment the pressure on his arm ceased, gasping with relief, and his friends quickly surrounded him, Genki and Coltia still coldly glaring at the creep who had hurt him so.

The man glared back at them, unapologetic. Then, he suddenly found himself being forced out the door, and a foot collided roughly with his rear end as the scaled hare promptly ejected him from the tavern. Choking on a mouthful of dust, he clambered to his feet, aimed a death-glare back at the monster that stood in the doorway behind him, then staggered off, muttering grimly to himself.

A pair of dark, violet-brown eyes watched his stumbling figure until he was certain that he would not pose a threat any longer, then he turned and stepped aside, motioning for the five standing behind him to walk past. They filed past him, the girl giving him a starry-eyed look, the boy looking more stunned and upset than anything.

"I told you guys that something bad would happen," Suezo whined, hopping through the doorway, "but did you listen to me? Nooo…nobody ever listens to me, 'cause I'm just Suezo…well…"

"SHUT UP, SUEZO!" Genki yelled, whirling around to glare at the eyeball monster.

"Hare okay, chi?" Mocchi asked, looking at where the creep's fingernails had dug into the rabbit's fur. Hare tried to smile reassuringly as he rubbed his arm, but winced again as it throbbed slightly. Placing his hand against it, he quietly cast a healing spell, trying not to draw any attention to himself as he did so.

Suddenly, he noticed that the Scaled Hare was staring directly at him, and he froze, trying to think of a good explanation. However, something in the elder rabbit's expression made him pause, unable to think of anything to say. He stared up into hauntingly familiar eyes, a faint memory tugging at the back of his mind, completely unaware of the fact that Genki, Coltia, Suezo and Mocchi were staring blankly at him, wondering what was wrong.

"…Hey Hare, are you all right?" Genki asked, taking a step forward. The stranger seemed to jerk at the sound of his voice, and dark eyes turned their piercing gaze to the boy.

"…You are?" the green rabbit asked, staring at him.

"My name is Genki," he replied, pointing at his chest, and he pointed to each of the others in turn as he said, "and this is Suezo, Coltia, and Mocchi. We're friends of Hare."

"Then I…have you to thank for his being safe until now?"

__

…Huh? Genki thought, sweatdropping slightly as the scaled rabbit stared at him, studying his face. After a moment, he closed those strange eyes of his, reached over, and gave the boy's shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"…Thank you," he said, opening his eyes again and locking them with Genki's own. "You have preserved the only real family I have left…"

__

…HUH?!? Genki stared up into the Scaled Hare's face in dull shock, temporarily too stunned to speak. He was barely able to register the soft sound of Suezo's surprised gasp behind him, echoed by Mocchi and Coltia, and heartily wished that things would start to make sense again soon…

* * *

"…Stupid, stupid monsters forgetting their place in life, and those sissies back at the bar not even caring! …Man, our old systems have really been shot to hell…grumble, mumble…"

The man continued this litany as he half-stomped, half-staggered down the road, fuming the whole way. Caught up in feeling sorry for himself, he utterly failed to notice that several pairs of blood-red eyes glittered in the foliage lining the dirt path.

"…What the hell was a damned little rabbit doing with a pretty chunk of jewelry like that, anyway? Things like that are made for humans, not lowly mon-"

The rest of his rant was cut off suddenly as sharp pain tore across his back, and the drunken man cried out as a black shadow crashed into his side, knocking him to the ground and pinning him there. As he gasped for air, half-stunned, a heavy, clawed foot slammed onto his neck, and his gasp became a choked-off scream.

"Where did you come from, human?" a raspy voice sneered somewhere above him, and a wave of terror washed over him, as crushing a presence as the foot on his throat.

"…Back…back in the village!" he managed to choke out, each word fought for. Trembling, he raised one shaking arm slightly and made a frantic motion, indicating the town. The creature that pinned him down snarled thoughtfully, and through blurring eyes the man noticed a stubby, clawed hand waving at unseen followers to move toward the village.

Then soulless, beady black eyes flicked back to him, and the man sucked a torturing breath in as he dully realized that he was going to die. As the sneering creature brought his talons down in a deadly swipe at his victim's face, he had time for only one final, ironic thought…

__

…Damn, now even the Black Saurians wear medallions these days…

* * *

"What? You used to live in the same village as Hare?"

The green rabbit simply flicked an unconcerned glance at the stunned boy, nodding ever so slightly.

"Yes," he confirmed, his dark eyes solemn, "I used to live back in the same village as Hare did; at least, I did before I decided to leave." He glanced over at where Hare was sitting, widened eyes locked on his face, and smiled for a moment before turning his attention back to the others.

"You mean…you were one of Hare's friends, chi?" Mocchi asked, clearly confused.

"Yes, I was, although Hare was still very young when I left," and his eyes darkened slightly as he added, with another glance over at the younger rabbit, "He may not even remember me very well; he was so little back then…"

"Wait a minute…you left the village? Does that mean…" Genki trailed off as the scaled rabbit nodded in answer to his unfinished question.

"I was not home…when it was destroyed," he said, his voice dropping into a near snarl for the last word. "I returned home after traveling for a while, only to discover that I had no home anymore. Everything was gone, crumbled and burned to the ground. There was nothing left for me to return to…"

"I know that feeling," Suezo muttered darkly to himself, and Hare nodded mute agreement. Coltia looked at them, tears brimming in her shimmering tan eyes.

"Since then, I've been traveling on my own. I fought against Moo's forces from time to time, taking out my outrage on them. Then, several months ago, they suddenly stopped appearing. I eventually heard from various people that some rebels had summoned the Phoenix somehow and destroyed Moo. I also started hearing other rumors, too…that one of the rebels had come from a town that Naga destroyed, and had escaped from him…from the descriptions that I heard…"

"…You figured that it might be somebody you knew?" Coltia asked. The green rabbit nodded again, silently, and his violet-brown eyes focused their intense gaze back on Hare.

"Psst! Hare, do you really know this guy?" Suezo leaned over and whispered, clear distrust on his face. Hare glanced over at him, noticing at once the doubt in the other monster's narrowed eye, and locked gazes with the stranger again, thoughtful.

"I…I remember…a little bit about him, I think," he whispered after a few moments, his voice soft as his wavering brown eyes searched the elder rabbit's face. "I'm not sure, but…those eyes…I can clearly remember those eyes… ……… …Scaler?"

The scaled rabbit seemed to relax the moment that last word passed the younger hare's lips, and he smiled slightly as he nodded, once.

"Yes, that's right. I'm glad that you at least remember my name," he said. Meanwhile, the other three former rebels were just staring at them, startled by the idea that something like this was happening. Coltia, however, had a very different reaction to this.

"Oh, this is so great!" she trilled, her wide caramel eyes shining as if lit by stars. "It's so sweet when old friends are reunited, isn't it?"

Genki and Suezo currently couldn't answer her, since both of their jaws had hit the floor. Mocchi, however, seemed to agree with her statement, and was beaming as he looked at the two.

"Great, chi!" he cheered. Bouncing up in front of the Scaled Hare, he grinned and said, "Nice to meet you, Hare's friend-chi! My name is Mocchi!"

"I am aware of that, little one," Scaler said, and his shoulders shook a little bit under his cloak, as if he was laughing a little bit. Suezo glowered, narrowing his eye a little more as he studied the cloaked stranger. For some reason that he couldn't quite name, he wasn't entirely certain that he could trust this guy…

"…Oh kuso!" Genki suddenly cried, standing upright so suddenly that he knocked over his chair. "I forgot all about Holly! She's still back at the shop waiting for us…"

"…Holly?" Scaler inquired, looking at the boy with interest. Hare and the others gasped, realizing that the boy was right, and Suezo aimed a death glare at him.

"Genki, I can't believe you'd forget about poor Holly!" he scolded. "I bet she's worried sick about us!"

"Well, it's not like you ever said anything to remind me, Suezo!" Genki shot back, a vein standing out on the side of his forehead.

"You guys! We should get back to Holly, don't you think?" Hare yelled, separating the two.

"Chi!" Mocchi said in agreement. Genki and Suezo glared at each other, then turned away, both huffing in anger. Hare and Mocchi sweatdropped, then went after Coltia, who was already waiting for the others at the door. Scaler looked at them for a moment, then slowly stood and walked after them, his leather cloak whispering slightly as he moved past the still glowering pair.

"You two had better hurry up, if you're going to catch up with them," he noted, a smirk tugging at the edge of his mouth for a moment as he watched boy and eyeball monster hastily scramble past him. His shoulders shook briefly with contained laughter, then he strode out after them.

* * *

"Man, oh man, oh man, Holly is gonna kill me," Genki muttered, sweatdropping hugely as he ran up to Verde's shop. Just as he had feared, Holly was standing in front of the doorway, obviously waiting for him. Her foot was tapping out a steady staccato rhythm on the smooth wood of the front porch. As she spotted him coming, she crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him, directing the look mainly at him instead of the trio of monsters, who gratefully slipped up beside her.

"Where have you been?" she asked, her voice sounding…not enraged, but definitely more than a little upset. Genki sweatdropped even more, and nearly had a heart attack when he heard Coltia's piping reply.

"Oh, nothing major. We just went into a tavern and…"

"YOU WENT WHERE?!?" Verde's voice shrieked from inside the store, and everyone else joined Genki in sweating as the enraged woman suddenly appeared in the doorway behind Holly, looking very upset.

"…Oops…" Coltia whispered, caramel eyes wide. Weakly, she attempted to amend the situation, stammering, "Really, Aunt Verde, it's nothing like that…I was just trying to find someone for one of my friends, see, and…"

"…And she was successful," Scaler interrupted, walking up behind them. Turning to Verde, he executed a little bow as he said, "Please do not misunderstand your daughter's intentions, lady: she knew that I was trying to find a friend of mine, and went into the tavern in order to help me out. I am sorry for any trouble that might have caused…but without her help, I might not have ever found him."

"…Oh…" Verde murmured, becoming subdued the moment she heard his calm explanation. Scaler smiled, and he stepped up behind Hare, giving his shoulder a tiny squeeze. Hare looked up at him, a little startled.

"…Aunt Verde isn't my mother," Coltia whispered in correction, but she kept her voice soft so as not to ruin the moment. Silently, she thanked him for calming her aunt down so quickly.

"…Ah…well, it's nice to meet you," Holly stammered, bowing quickly toward the green rabbit. "My name is Holly, and I'm very glad to meet you, mister…"

"Scaler," he supplied the name for her, still smiling ever so slightly. Suezo glanced over at him, still trying to figure out why he didn't feel quite right about this guy.

There was a sudden crash behind them, and as the five searchers and their companions whirled around, Scaler's smile twisted into a sudden grimace, and he suddenly pulled Hare closer to him, half-hiding the younger rabbit in the folds of his cloak. All of them stared over at a Black Saurian that had just knocked over a merchant's cart. The zuum hybrid glared down at the quivering man, a sneer twisting its face.

"Where are the rebel scum?" it snarled, curling its lips just enough for sunlight to gleam off of its sharp teeth. Its glossy ebony skin shimmered as well, and its narrowed black eyes glittered evilly as it glared down at the cornered, babbling man.

"Look!" Holly warned, pointing to the saurian's chest: everyone could see the medallion pinned on a chain around the monster's neck. Suezo gasped in horror, the sound echoed by Mocchi and Coltia, and Scaler ground his teeth silently as he pulled Hare closer to him. Genki balled his hands into ready fists at his sides, and his clear eyes shone with anger as he stepped between the baddie and the others.

"Hey!" he called, causing the dinosaur to look over at him. Dropping further into a battle crouch, the boy shouted, "Just what the heck are you doing here?"

The zuum hybrid just sneered in reply, white teeth catching the rays of the sun once more, and his eyes seemed to glow with crimson light as he studied the group before him. Several growls from nearby alerted the small team to other monsters arriving, and Suezo stole a quick glance around.

"This doesn't look good," he murmured, counting at least twenty of the Black Saurians fanning out to approach them from all sides. He took little comfort in the fact that Verde's store was at that back, meaning that the baddies could not get behind them.

"Are you the rebels that defeated Master Moo before?" the first Black Saurian, the obvious leader, asked. Genki opened his mouth to reply, but found himself cut off, as Scaler suddenly released Hare's shoulders and stepped in front of the boy, cloak sweeping behind him.

"I am a rebel," he replied, simply, as Genki and the others stared at his back. "Even though I did not lend a direct hand against Moo, I was not sad to see him fall, either. Have you got a problem with that?"

"Get out of the way," the leader of the baddies hissed, and Scaler glanced up at him, a smirk tugging at the edge of his mouth. His violet-brown eyes narrowed slightly, calculatingly, and he stood calmly in place, letting his silence speak for him.

"Fine, then. You can die first, foolish rabbit," and the Black Saurian made a sweeping motion with one arm, snarling "ATTACK!"

The zuum hybrids sprang forward, white teeth and claws flashing as they tore toward their prey. Scaler bowed his head, remaining motionless, even as they rushed at him. Suddenly, just as they were almost upon him, his head snapped up, and his eyes flashed open, as if he had just become aware of the situation. The leather cloak swirled behind him as he lashed out, spinning once, and the other rebels caught the barest glimpse of silver grasped in his blurring paws.

He spun once, stopping as quickly as he had started, and his cloak quickly settled around his suddenly motionless body. Around him, the Black Saurians stood frozen in place, eyes widened unnaturally. Then, slowly, as one, they toppled over, and their ebony skin glowed with white light for an instant before bodies transformed into lost discs.

"WHAT?" the leader of the Black Saurians snarled; he had not attacked with the rest of his men, and stood gaping at their fallen forms, black eyes wide with shock. Scaler looked directly at him, and a smirk twisted the scaled rabbit's lips again. Behind him, the others stood in stunned silence, several of them wondering just what had happened.

Staring at the scaled rabbit's smirking face, the Black Saurian leader balked, and hastily turned tail to retreat. However, he had barely taken five steps when Scaler's paws blurred again, and he froze in place, choking. Genki jerked and gasped with the others; he now could clearly see a small dagger buried up to its hilt in the saurian's neck.

The leader joined his followers in death, and Scaler calmly strode up to his fallen body. Reaching down, he retrieved his blade from the lost disc's roots, and then turned to face the others. He swept his cloak back with one hand, allowing them to get a clear view of the many blades that hung on a belt round his chest, as well as the ones that hung inside the leather. He replaced the dagger to its sheath, then let the cloak fall back into place, hiding the weapons once more.

"There. That takes care of those fools," he said simply, while the others gaped at him. Turning his piercing gaze back on Genki, he said more than asked, "You are going to investigate this encounter, of course?"

"Uh…yeah," Genki managed to reply, nodding. Scaler narrowed his violet-brown eyes at the boy, then nodded in curt reply.

"Then I shall accompany you," he stated, striding over and griping Hare's shoulder again. Hare stared up at him in shock, and Scaler turned his attention to the others as he continued, "I will not allow you to drag the only friend I have left in this world into danger, and besides, if Moo is returning, you will need all the help you can get."

"I dunno…" Suezo muttered, glaring suspiciously at the green rabbit. "I'm not so sure that we need help from someone like you…"

"Any group that includes someone like you in it obviously needs serious aid," Scaler retorted, narrowing his piercing gaze at the eyeball monster. Giving Hare's shoulder another squeeze, he added, "If Hare plans on going along with you, then I will follow as well. If you will not have me along, then I will not allow him to go. He is all I have left in this world, and I will not allow anyone or anything to take that away from me."

"…All right then," Holly said, nodding in defeat. Suezo started to protest, and she waved him off, saying, "You really handled those monsters well, and you're right: if Moo's back, anyone who's willing to fight him will be a great help."

"Wait a minute…you mean you're actually going to fight?" Coltia cried, staring at them.

"Well, yes," Holly replied, nodding.

"That's what we do," Genki agreed, then a mischievous grin spread over his face as he pointed at his chest and added, "After all, I am the Monster Champion! Leave it all to me!"

"Really?" Coltia asked, her caramel eyes wide. When Genki nodded, she stared at him with pure hero worship in her eyes. The other rebels sweatdropped, and Scaler rolled his eyes.

"Alright! Then I'm coming too!" she suddenly declared. The searchers said nothing, simply gaping at her in surprise, and she quickly added, "I can come, can't I? Come on, please, please, please???"

"Coltia, darling…" Verde started to say, only to be interrupted.

"Why the heck would we want to bring you along?!?" Suezo demanded, getting directly in the younger girl's face. Coltia returned his angry glare and frowned.

"Well, why not?" she pouted. "I want to help fight too! I can help just as well as you can, and I'm as ready as the rest of you!"

She turned away suddenly, and her voice quivered a little as she added, "Besides, if Moo really is returning, I want to pay him back for Mom and Dad!"

"Coltia…" Verde whispered, staring at her niece's trembling back.

"If she wants to come along, then it's best you let her," Scaler interrupted, his tone neutral. "Otherwise, she may just strike out on her own and get herself killed. Better to have her where we can keep an eye on her."

"…You're right," Verde said, closing her eyes. "Fine then, Coltia, you may go with them, but only if they allow you to."  


"Yay!" Coltia cheered, throwing her arms up into the air while the searchers all sweatdropped. "Thank you, Aunt Verde! Oh, I can come, can't I, Genki?"

"…Do we have a real choice?" Suezo asked Holly under his breath. His owner shook her head slightly, smiling nervously.

"Alright, then, Colt, welcome to the team!" Genki said, reaching out for her hand. Coltia stared at his outstretched hand for a moment, then suddenly sprang forward and hugged him, much to his shock.

"Oh thank you thank you thank you!" she cheered, breaking off her hug to grin at him. Then she gasped, exclaiming, "I have to get ready! I'll be back in a little bit!"

She rushed back into the shop, leaving the others staring at where she had been. After a while, Verde shrugged her shoulders.

"I guess I'll go help her pack," she said, walking inside. Glancing back over her shoulder, she smiled and said, "I trust that all of you will take good care of Coltia for me. I know that you'll look after her."

"We will, I promise," Holly said, smiling nervously. Verde smiled back and walked inside, leaving the rebels to talk among themselves as they waited.

"This is going to be a very interesting trip," Suezo moaned, rolling his eye. "Like having two Genkis along…oh, Goddess, help me…"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Genki demanded, while Holly and Mocchi laughed. While the others were distracted, Hare looked up at Scaler, who was still standing behind him.

"Why are you coming along, really?" he asked, his wide brown eyes shining with curiosity. Scaler glanced down at him and smiled, briefly.

"It is as I said before; you are the only real kind of family I have left in this world," he replied, gripping the younger rabbit's shoulders again. "I will not allow anything to happen to you, no matter what the cost is…"

Hare stared up at the elder rabbit's face, unable to say anything more. After a few moments, the door to Verde's shop opened again, and all the searchers turned to see Coltia standing there. She had changed her clothes, and was now wearing a simple rose-colored tunic over a long-sleeved white shirt, and her pants were a dark scarlet. Her short tan hair bobbed around her smiling face, and her caramel eyes sparkled as she smiled. Shouldering her traveling bag, she walked up to Genki and grinned.

"Ready!" she announced, beaming.

"Did you already say goodbye to your aunt?" Holly asked, and Coltia nodded yes.

"Yeah…sorry I took so long. Anyway, let's go!" and she turned to walk forward. Suddenly she paused, and looked back at the others in confusion.

"Um…where exactly are we going, anyway?" she asked, a nervous smile on her face.

"To the Valley of the Discs," Genki announcing, turning and pointing in the general direction of the forest. "That's where we met Golem during our first journey. I'm sure that he returned there after we won against Moo! So let's go!"

"Let's go!" Coltia echoed, running after him as he took off, laughing.

"Chi!" Mocchi cried, running after the two humans. The other searchers followed quickly, and Suezo rolled his eye again as he hopped after everyone else.

"Yup, just like Genki…oh Goddess, PLEASE allow me to keep my sanity," he muttered. Scaler, who was directly behind Hare, glanced back at him with a look of mild amusement on his face.

"Don't worry about that," he commented. "You can't lose what you never had…"

Then he quickened his pace to keep up with the others, leaving Suezo to think about what he had just said.

"You know, he's right, I…HEY! You're going to pay for that, Scaler! Darn you! …Geez, he sure does act like Hare, at any rate…WAIT UP, you! Grrr…"


	3. The Restored Valley Flower Girl

* * * Episode Three: The Restored Valley – Flower Girl * * *

Sunlight filtered through spreading branches, turning each leaf an almost blazing shade of green as morning touched the forest valley. Scattered birdsong greeted the warming rays, and as the inhabitants of the small, secluded valley began to awaken, one of its youngest members stirred in her treetop perch.

Eyes the same brilliant green shade of fresh young leaves opened, half veiled behind slightly tousled orange-red bangs. Cat-like ears covered with cinnamon fur twitched lazily, and the girl yawned as she stretched out her arms and legs, tail lashing behind her. The sunlight dappling her skin caused its unusual coloring to stand out; while the areas around her elbows and knees were a pale leaf green, they faded into a softer whitish-pink for other areas. Her chest and stomach were a very pale white-green, but this fact was hidden by the simple, one-piece white tunic she wore.

"Morning already?" she asked no one in particular; she was the sole occupant of the tree. She stood, and a pair of slender green wings spread out behind her as she stretched again, their structure making them look like giant leaves for a moment. They beat once, then filled with air as she hopped off of her perch, bearing her safely to the ground. Again she looked into the sky, shading her bright green eyes with one arm.

"Good morning, Serinity," a rabbit with tough, stone-like fur greeted her as he walked by. The young pixie hybrid turned and smiled at him, nodding acknowledgement.

"Good morning, Rocky," she replied, brushing back her short orange bangs as she spoke. Looking back up at the clear blue skies, she sighed and added, "The sky is beautiful today, isn't it? And the breeze feels so nice, too…"

"Heh. You going out to look at flowers again already, Serinity?" Rocky prodded, grinning at her. Serinity just smiled knowingly back at him and giggled, then the pixie hybrid sprang lightly into the air, flapping her wings a few times to get a feel for the lower breeze before heading into the woods.

"You be careful, Serinity!" Rocky called after her. "You know what happened the last time you tried something like this!"

She really did not need to be reminded, of course; she knew that the way that the wind blew through the trees was irregular, and not really the best of conditions for gliding. She was only planning to glide for a short distance, anyway: just enough for Dixie to see her flying and be satisfied that she was using her wings properly. The elder pixie got on her case a great deal about how she should use all of her gifts to her full advantage, and that included gliding instead of walking.

But she loved the feel of grass under her bare feet, loved the way the fragrant flowers seemed to glow in the morning sunshine. She was much happier simply walking and letting the breeze brush back her hair than she was using it to carry her along. She did enjoy flying from time to time, but there were so many things one missed from high above, precious things that she would rather stop and enjoy than pass over.

Like the flowers… She had reached her destination, and eagerly alighted in the small field, the slight breeze caused by her flapping wings stirring the fragile blossoms and sending several multi-colored petals flying through the air. Serinity watched them flutter around her and let out a contented sigh, dropping to her knees. Closing her eyes, she let herself relax completely, surrendering all sensation save for the gentle, loving caress of the wind. The same calm breeze played with her short hair, and the sunlight set off the strawberry blonde highlights beneath the orange shade, turning her hair the color of dawn's first rays.

"This…this is…perfect," she whispered, shivering slightly as the cool wind caressed her face.

__

No…not perfect, she suddenly corrected herself silently, her luminous green eyes wavering behind her lowered eyelashes as she opened them slightly.

Absently, she reached out and gently grasped one of the small flowers, cradling it carefully in her hand for several moments before she picked another blossom up. With a practiced movement, she attached them together, then picked another flower and added it. Soon, she had a small chain of flowers resting in her lap; slowly developing into one of the woven creations she had been so fond of making as a child.

She closed her shimmering green eyes again; the sight of the blossom chain reminded her of one of those childhood creations in particular, one that had seemed both so out of place and so perfect resting against the thick gray chest of her friend…

A tear brimmed at the edge of one eye for a moment, not quite willing to trickle down the side of her cheek, and the wind brushed it away. Serinity continued to work on her flower chain, as if keeping her hands busy would keep away the sadness that occasionally came over her, whenever she thought of him…

* * *

"So this forest is where your friend lives?" Coltia asked, biting the edge of her lip for a moment as she studied the woods before them.

"What's wrong, Colt?" Genki asked, noticing the strange expression on her face. Coltia shook her head quickly and grinned nervously at him, sweatdropping.

"O-Oh, nothing, nothing at all, Genki!" she stammered, then she blushed a little as she admitted, "It's just that…I remember Aunt Verde told me something about these woods once before…"

"Oh? What did she say?" Holly wondered aloud.

"I-It was silly…but she always used to say that an enigma lived in this forest…"

Coltia was very confused when Genki, Mocchi and Suezo suddenly burst out laughing. She stared at them in surprise, then looked over at the others and was even more shocked to see that Holly was stifling a giggle of her own. The two rabbits simply glanced at one another, neither quite understanding just what was so funny about the whole situation.

"What's so funny?" Coltia finally demanded, her face a bright red shade.

"Oh, nothing," Genki told her, grinning widely as he got himself back under control.

"Nothing?" Coltia asked mildly, arching an eyebrow at the boy.

"Right, nothing!"

"…Humph." Coltia turned her back on everyone, fuming to herself. "I hate it when people make fun of me…"

She continued to grumble as Genki, Holly, Suezo, Mocchi and Hare sweatdropped. Scaler looked as if he could care less about what was going on with the other members of the group.

"Are we going to go in, or not?" he asked, arching one eyebrow as he studied the others.

"Yeah," Genki said, face flushing slightly with embarrassment, and he quickly brushed past Coltia and darted off ahead of the others, running into the woods. Mocchi quickly followed after him, and the others followed a little more sedately, Coltia still fuming about being left out of the apparent joke. However, her grumbling soon trailed off as they entered the forest, and she began to cast furtive glances around her, keeping an eye out for the 'enigma'. Seeing this, Suezo couldn't help but start snickering again, which earned him a cold glare from her.

"I don't get it," Hare whispered to Holly as he walked beside the girl. "What's so funny about what Coltia said?"

"We were told that there was an enigma in the forest too, when we visited here on our first journey. It turned out that the enigma was just…"

"…Oh, it was Golem, right?" Hare guessed. Holly just smiled, and he laughed to himself for a moment.

"…What is so funny?" Coltia wailed, seeing that he had gotten in on the apparent joke as well. Suezo continued to snicker to himself, while Scaler just rolled his eyes and ignored what the others were doing.

Suddenly the scaled rabbit froze in mid-stride, and his long ears twitched slightly. A grim look fell over his face, and his dark violet-brown eyes glittered as they darted from shadow to shadow. Noticing this, Hare stopped beside him and looked around, trying to discern what had caused him to stop.

"What is it?" he asked, glancing around nervously.

In response, Scaler pulled him closer to his body, and with a sudden flicker of movement sent one of his daggers lancing into the trees beside them. Before Suezo could make a comment about the green rabbit's being over-nervous and jumping at shadows, a short, strangled cry ripped out of the darkness, and a glowing figure suddenly fell into view, the blade lodged in its throat. The startled rebels had just enough time to glimpse the telltale medallion on its chest before its body transformed into a lost disc.

"T-t-the baddies?" Coltia stammered, her tan eyes wide with shock as she stared at the still warm lost disc. Scaler nodded solemnly and quickly retrieved his blade from where it had fallen. Instead of putting it away, he kept it ready in his hand, and continued to scan the forest, pulling Hare closer to him for safety.

"Genki…did you see what kind of monster that was?" Holly whispered. Genki nodded slightly, his clear eyes looking haunted.

"I'm not sure, since I only got a short look at it…but…"

"It looked like…a Golem," Suezo supplied for him, looking equally disturbed by the idea.

"It was a Black Golem," Scaler provided for them, dark eyes still scanning the forest. "A Golem with Monol blood. Its dark stone skin makes it a perfect choice for an assassin: it can't move very quickly, but with that much natural defense and strength, it doesn't really need speed."

"You sure do know a lot about them, Scaler," Suezo commented, narrowing his eye slightly at the green rabbit's back. Scaler shrugged slightly, his cloak shifting on his shoulders.

"When you have fought against the baddies for a certain period of time, you have to pick up on things like that in order to survive," he replied, and his voice hardened slightly as he added, "It's really a miracle that you were able to go for so long against the enemy if you never picked up on things like that. I take it that you did not exactly concern yourself with being much of a help in other areas as well…"

He turned his attention back to scanning the trees while Suezo glared daggers at his back. Holly sweatdropped slightly and hastily motioned for the eyeball monster to calm down, while Genki, Mocchi and Coltia joined the two rabbits in keeping an eye out for any sort of movement.

After several seconds of tense silence had gone by, Hare suddenly gasped as a faint rustling of leaves sounded behind him.

"There!" he cried, whirling around, and the others turned just in time to catch a glimpse of something huge and hulking moving around behind them, its form almost completely hidden by the thick branches of the trees. Something gleamed on its enshrouded chest, and then the bulky creature turned and stomped off deeper into the woods, its massive footfalls booming like thunder.

"Wait!" Genki shouted, and he plunged into the trees after it, ignoring Holly's shout of protest.

"Genki, wait up! It's too dangerous to go after it alone!" Coltia shouted, darting after him. Mocchi followed on her heels, and Holly went after him, leaving Scaler, Hare and Suezo alone.

"I've got to go after them," Hare cried, and he pulled free of Scaler's grasp and followed after Holly and the others. Scaler made a quick grab at his arm, but missed, and he moved to follow the younger rabbit into the woods. However, he paused and glanced over his shoulder at the eyeball monster.

"Coming?" he asked, arching an eyebrow at him. "Or do you prefer simply standing there like an idiot while your friends fight for you?"

"Watch it, rabbit," Suezo growled, hopping past the scaled rabbit. Scaler ignored the dark look the eyeball monster gave him and darted into the woods, dagger still gleaming in his hand. Switching it to his other paw, he reached into his cloak and drew out a longer blade as he ran, just in case he needed it.

* * *

"…Hmm?" Serinity opened her eyes slightly as a shadow fell over her kneeling form. She looked in front of her, seeing how the massive shadow fell over the flowers in a familiar shape. Her eyes widened slightly, startled, and a shaky, hesitant smile came over her face.

"…Golem?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder, holding her flower chain against her chest.

However, it only took her an instant to realize that this was not the case. For one thing, the golem coming up behind her was much darker in color than her friend, with stone skin as black as ebony. His soulless black eyes looked nothing like the deep, gentle gray she remembered, and the symbol glittering on his thick chest was new as well.

Then, too, there was the fact that he was currently swinging one of his massive fists at her...

"Ohhh!" she exclaimed, hastily diving away as the strange golem brought his hand crashing down upon her. She winced as she felt one stone finger clip her side, and gasped sharply as she rolled into the flowers, sending a spray of petals up around them. The black golem smashed her forgotten blossom chain into the ground, and his dark eyes glowed as he glared over at her.

"W-who are you?" she stammered, trembling. The stranger made no response, but simply lifted his fist to strike again…

* * *

"Whoa!" Genki exclaimed as he burst out of the forest and found himself in a valley of flowers. Startled, he glanced around in confusion for a second, until a sudden shriek caught his attention.

"Genki!" Coltia cried as she and the others stumbled out behind him. "What's wrong?"

"Look, chi!" Mocchi shouted, pointing forward. Following his gaze, Coltia sucked in a sharp gasp as she watched a Black Golem take a fierce swing at a fragile-looking pixie hybrid. The small creature shrieked as she dodged away, but the baddie's finger clipped one of her wings and sent her spinning to the ground.

"Hey, hang on!" Genki shouted, and he darted forward, yelling, "Mocchi, cover me!"

"Chi!" Mocchi nodded quickly, then the little pink monster leapt into the air and begun to spin around. A whirlwind of small rose-colored petals formed around him, and the young monster sent it flying forward as he shouted, "Cherry Blossom Blizzard, chi!"

The Black Golem let out a roar of surprise as the petals surged into his eyes, and his fist missed hitting its mark by a mile as he reared backward. The pixie hybrid looked up in surprise, and she blinked in confusion as she watched the baddie fall backward, clawing at his eyes.

"Feet first!" Genki shouted, jumping forward and slamming both of his feet into the baddie's face. Since he had his skates on, the shock of impact was not as bad as it could have been, yet he still gritted his teeth as he hit. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that the strange pixie had frozen in place, still kneeling among the flowers, bright green eyes fixed directly on him. She looked too stunned to move.

"Genki, heads up!" Coltia shouted, and he turned in time to see a small rock fly up and hit the Black Golem's forehead. Glancing over at the girl, he noticed that she now had a slingshot in her hand, and was trying to reload it as quickly as possible.

The Black Golem roared again, and he tried to swat the girl, only to be blinded once more as another blast of cherry blossoms took him full in the face. As the baddie reeled again, Genki leapt away from its flailing hands, and the youth grinned as he spotted Holly, Hare, Suezo and Scaler running toward them.

"Hey guys!" he said, waving at them. In response, Scaler simply nodded toward him, then launched his dagger at the Black Golem. It buried itself up to its hilt in the baddie's chest, and the creature let out an angry shriek as its form glowed, shriveled and died.

"Never turn your back on an enemy," he chided the boy, frowning. Genki felt his face redden slightly at being scolded, but just as he was about to shout back something in defense of himself, he suddenly heard a soft gasp behind him. Turning around, he realized that the pixie hybrid was still kneeling in the flowers behind them, staring at them.

"Oh…hey, are you okay?" he asked, taking a step toward her.

* * *

Serinity gasped and flinched backwards as the strange creature stepped closer to her. She had no idea what kind of monster this was: he looked somewhat like a pixie type, but had no wings or tail that she could see. There was something else strange about him, as well, something she couldn't quite name…

He stepped toward her, and she panicked. Leaping to her feet, she whirled around to flee. Behind her, she heard the strange boy and his companions cry out; she ignored them and darted away, heart pounding wildly in her chest.

* * *

"Hey-!" Genki exclaimed, starting in surprise as he watched the pixie hybrid run away. The other rebels watched her flee as well, and Coltia blinked in confusion.

"…Huh? Why did she run away?" she asked, turning confused tan eyes to the others. "All we did was help her…"

"She was scared," Scaler replied, sounding utterly unconcerned about the stranger. "She didn't recognize any of us, and the fact that we just killed a monster in front of her didn't exactly help…"

"But all we did was defeat a baddie," Suezo commented, staring in the direction that she had fled. Scaler glanced over at him and arched an eyebrow.

"'We' defeated a baddie?" he echoed, his tone somewhere between mocking and amused. "You did nothing. It was Genki, Mocchi, and I who destroyed the enemy while you cowered and watched."

Suezo gave the green rabbit a look that could have withered him where he stood, but Scaler completely ignored him, sheathing his weapons instead. Sensing her friend's anger, Holly quickly stepped over to his side and tried to calm him.

"Let's go after her," Genki said, already starting forward. However, Scaler caught the boy's arm, and he shook his head no.

"All you can do now is frighten her even more," he told him, his dark eyes locked with Genki's own. "Shouldn't we concentrate on going to find your friend Golem?"

"Yeah…I guess you're right," Genki conceded, taking one last look in the direction that the pixie hybrid had headed before turning back to the others. "Let's go!"

"Let's go, chi!" Mocchi echoed, hopping up and down, eager to get moving again. The rebels turned away, but Coltia couldn't help glancing over her shoulder as they started off, heading deeper into the woods.

"Are you sure this is the right way, Genki?" Holly asked, looking around.

"Of course I'm sure! Leave it all to me!"

"Oh boy," Suezo sighed, rolling his eye.

* * *

__

Why did I run away? Serinity asked herself, finally slowing down from her frantic pace. Now that the terror of the moment had worn off, and her heart had stopped pounding in her chest, she was not entirely certain why she had taken off like that.

__

All that they did was help me…and I ran away from them. How could I be so stupid?

But…they killed that monster…they just murdered it right in front of me, then acted like it was nothing at all…

…But it was trying to kill me.

…That doesn't make it right…

…Does it?

…No, it doesn't. Nothing should have to die like that…

…Why did it try to hurt me, anyway? What's going on?

She shivered, and her wings wrapped around her shoulders to warm her, even though she wasn't really cold. She walked forward, thoughts still focused entirely on what had happened a few moments before, not even paying any attention to where she was going. Automatically, her feet traced the way home, carrying her back to the valley. She didn't even realize that she was heading that direction until she arrived and heard Rocky call out a welcome to her.

"Serinity! Welcome back!" the stone rabbit called, running up to her. Then, seeing the haunted expression in her soft green eyes, he frowned in concern and asked, "Serinity? Are you okay, girl?"

Serinity blinked, startled back to reality, and gave the stone rabbit a blank look. He stared up into her face, looking worried, and she quickly shook her head, as if the movement would clear out her troubled thoughts.

"……Oh, Rocky," she said, her voice a near whisper. Then she shook her head again, and managed to smile sadly as she answered, "I'm fine. I'm just…a little tired, that's all…"

"…Really, Serinity?" Rocky asked, not sounding convinced. The pixie hybrid glanced away, brushing some stray bangs of orange hair away from her eyes as she wondered just how she could convince him that she was okay.

"Hey, you guys! We've got trouble!"

"Huh?" Rocky turned his attention away from Serinity, and the two looked over to see a zuum hybrid with dark yellow scales running up to them. A couple of small monsters were perched on his back; one was a cat with clearish blue fur, and the other was a hopper hybrid with short pink fur and strange marking on her huge ears and back.

"What's wrong, guys?" Rocky asked, blinking his dark gray eyes in confusion.

"Dixie said that she spotted a bunch of weird people coming this way, and we all have to hide quick!" the dinosaur answered, between gasps for air.

"What?" Rocky exclaimed, but even as he protested what he was hearing, his friends were already taking shelter in the ruins, and he could only scramble to keep up with them.

__

A bunch of weird people…could it be those ones I saw before? Serinity wondered as she hid herself behind the branches of her favorite tree. However, she had no real time to consider this at the moment, and concentrated instead on keeping herself hidden as much as possible. A pair of bright green eyes peered out from behind the concealing leaves, watching the now completely empty valley beneath her, as she waited to see if anyone would show up…

* * *

"Here we are!" Genki announced, running ahead of the group as he spotted the familiar walls of the old castle rising before them. Mocchi and Coltia were directly on his heels, and the other rebels followed more sedately as they made their way through the crumbling gates.

"Hello, Golem?" Genki shouted as he entered, clear eyes darting around. His frantic pace slowed to a walk as soon as he passed the threshold, and he called out again, "We're here, pal! Hey, hello?"

The answer that he expected did not come right away, and Genki looked around in confusion, wondering why his friend was not replying. Behind him, the other rebels entered the ruins as well, and looked just as confused as he was.

"…Golem, chi?" Mocchi asked, wide eyes beginning to waver with fear as he bounced ahead of the others. Walking beside the young monster, Coltia shivered slightly at the unnatural silence that followed his shout.

"…Are you sure this is the right place, Genki?" she asked, studying the bare, crumpled walls with obvious distrust. Genki glanced over at her, frowning.

"No, this is the right place, I'm sure of it. Hey Golem!" he shouted again, cupping his hands around his mouth in an attempt to make his voice louder. "Yo! Hey Golem!"

"Golem! Chi!"

"Golem! Where are you?" Hare joined the others in calling, and Holly added her voice in a second later: "Golem?"

"It doesn't look like your friend is here," Scaler noted, not sounding too terribly concerned or upset by the idea. Suezo gave the green rabbit another dark look, then joined the others in calling out the stone giant's name.

"…This isn't good," Holly noted after a while, turning worried chestnut eyes on her friends. "Golem would have answered us by now…"

"…Maybe he's just sleeping," Genki suggested stubbornly, not wanting to acknowledge the other possibility. He ran forward, moving towards the center of the ruins and the Grave of the Discs, and the others could only follow him.

"Hey Golem…ah!" he cried as he burst out into the valley. He froze, clear eyes wide with shock, and Holly gasped as she came up behind him. Coltia and the monsters arrived a few moments later, and Suezo and Mocchi gasped with shock.

"What…where did all the lost discs go?" the eyeball monster asked, eye wide with disbelief. "There used to be tons of them here!"

But the valley before them no longer even remotely resembled a graveyard. While Genki, Holly, Suezo and Mocchi clearly remembered how lost discs had once filled the large meadow, patches of gray stone amid the scattered flowers, not even one remained. Without those solemn monuments in place, the valley seemed peaceful, almost pleasant…and completely empty.

"But where…where have all the lost discs gone?" Suezo asked. Behind him, Scaler let out a short, mocking laugh.

"Don't you get it?" he asked, glaring at the eyeball monster in disbelief. "When the Phoenix rose, she restored all of those who had died to life, and that obviously includes those that lived here. Really…you of all monsters should know that…"

"But then, where are all the monsters?" Holly asked, quickly moving to calm the furious Suezo. Scaler shook his head, indicating that he had no way of knowing that, and the searchers continued to look around for signs of life.

"Golem!" Genki shouted again, eyes scanning the ruins.

"Hey Golem, where are you?"  


"Golem, chi!"

* * *

__

They know about Golem? Serinity asked silently, green eyes wide with disbelief. Beside her, Rocky and Pink Hopper were watching the strangers with just as much shock.

"I wonder how they know about Golem?" the hopper hybrid asked, blinking her huge blue eyes a few times as she continued to watch them. Serinity glanced over at her, then suddenly started to stand up.

"Wha-what are you doing?" Rocky gasped, reaching out for her, but it was too late. With a graceful spring, Serinity emerged from the safety of the concealing branches and leaves, and she slowly moved toward the strangers.

* * *

"…Excuse me."

"Huh?" Genki turned around at the sound of the soft voice behind him, and found himself staring at a slender, fragile-looking pixie hybrid. It took him only a moment to recognize her as the one he had seen before, and as the other rebels turned to stare at her, he studied her slowly approaching form with interest.

The morning sunlight still streamed into the open valley, streaking her short, orange-red hair with gold. It floated in drifting bangs around her face, making her bright green eyes seem huge and luminous, like they held a life of their own. A light, simply made dress of white fabric covered her slight figure, and she kept her hands clasped in front of her as she stood shyly in front of them, appearing both unsure of herself and determined to speak to them.

"Excuse me," she repeated, her voice trembling slightly, "but I was wondering…just how do you know about Golem? Who…are you?"

"…Me? I'm Genki," he replied, unable to tear his gaze away from her, even as the other searchers stepped up behind him. "Who are you?"

"I am…Serinity," she said after a moment's hesitation, those huge green eyes still locked with his own. Then she suddenly gasped and turned, and Genki jerked with surprise as he suddenly noticed several other monsters stepping out from concealment, surrounding the searchers. One of them, another pixie hybrid with scales like a dinosaur's covering her slender body, stepped up beside the first one, a slight smile on her face.

"Well met," she greeted him simply, emerald eyes alight with thought. "I think that we should definitely have a little talk…"

* * *

"…Another one lost," the Black Golem growled, his dark eyes glowing red for a moment as he glared down at the lost disc beneath him. It looked terribly out of place among the flowers, a symbol of death standing out against fragile, colorful blossoms. The hulking monster's frown deepened, and he slowly reached down, his thick stone fingers tightening around the small disc. One twist of the wrist and it was gone, crumbling to dust.

"…Humph. The fate of the weak," he muttered, watching without emotion as the shattered remains of the lost disc trickled through his fingers. He looked up, and the sun reflected off of his chest medallion as he slowly began to move forward, his heavy feet crushing the tiny flowers beneath him with each step.

* * *

"…Oh, so you're Golem's friends?"

Holly nodded in reply.

"Yes, he joined us on our quest to find the Phoenix: Genki, Mocchi, Suezo, Hare, and myself," and she gestured to each in turn. Her bronze eyes became slightly wistful as she added, "We also had another member, Tiger of the Wind, but he left us after the Phoenix rose…just like Golem did…"

"We were hoping that he had returned here," Hare added. "Are you sure he hasn't…"  
  
"No. I would have known if he had returned," Serinity answered, shaking her head. Her bright green eyes shone with worry as she continued, "He wasn't here when we…reawakened…and I haven't seen him at all since the final battle… I hope he is okay…"

"…I'm sure he is," Holly replied, seeing the concern on the pixie hybrid's face. Serinity glanced over at her, then smiled slightly and nodded.

"So you guys were the ones to find the Phoenix, then?" Crab Saurian asked, not sounding convinced. Fairy Hopper playfully bopped the red-plated saurian on the back of the head and grinned at him.

"If that's the case, then we owe these people our lives! Can't you at least be civil to them?" he asked, grinning from ear to ear. Crab Saurian glared back at him and seemed on the verge of spitting out some retort, but a dark look from Dixie silenced both of them.

"Can't you two ever stop fooling around in front of others?" she whispered harshly to them, before turning a sweet smile back on the searchers.

"Please forgive my friends for being so rude," she apologized, adding, "They're always like that. We truly are grateful for your resurrecting the Phoenix and saving all of us…we owe you our lives."

"Ah…don't worry about it," Genki said, blushing a little bit as he noticed how most of the monsters were staring at them. In particular, the majority of the attention was focused on him, Holly, and Coltia, and he sweatdropped at the sight of so many eyes fixed on them.

"…Um," Coltia started to say, blinking in surprise. Realizing what was wrong, Dixie suddenly laughed, her emerald eyes twinkling with merriment as she smiled at them.

"Please try not to be too upset with them," she said, explaining, "Most of the monsters here have never seen a human before in their life. This is a completely new sight for them."

"…Oh," Holly said, still blushing slightly as she shifted under the intense gazes of the monsters. Suezo glanced around the room in disgust, stepping a little closer to his friend and trainer, and he gave one of the gawkers a very hard look, as if to warn them off.

"…Um, Dixie, chi? I have a question, chi," Mocchi suddenly piped up, and the elder pixie hybrid looked over at him in surprise.

"Yes, little one?" she asked.

"…When we were here before, I saw a lot of lost discs here, chi. But now there doesn't seem to be as many monsters as there were discs. Why is that, chi?" he asked innocently.

"That…" Dixie looked down at the floor for a moment, and an awkward silence fell over the gathered monsters of the valley. Mocchi looked from face to face in confusion, wondering if he had said something wrong.

"…What's wrong, chi?" he asked, blinking his wide eyes as he stared at the silent monsters. Hare, having a vague idea of what exactly was the matter, motioned for the younger monster to quiet down.

"…Several of those who were gathered in this valley…left after we were revived," Dixie suddenly spoke up, raising her shimmering jaden eyes to look at the searchers again. "They…decided that it was for the best that they leave us alone…we had…disagreements in the past…"

"…Chi?" Mocchi cocked his head to one side in confusion, studying the green pixie's face for several moments. Just when it seemed that the silence could not get any more repressive, a loud thud sounded outside, causing the ground to shake.

"What was that?" Genki asked, leaping to his feet. As if in response, the ground shook again as another thud sounded, and the boy stumbled forward. He peeked out of a window, and his clear eyes widened with shock.

"What is it, Genki?" Coltia asked, scrambling up beside him. Glancing outside, she gasped, and her voice cracked as she whispered, "Another one?!?"

Genki nodded back at her, then turned his attention back to the others. Before he could say anything, Scaler nodded back at him and stood, drawing out one of his blades.

"Another Black Golem, I presume?" he asked quietly, ignoring how the other gasped at the sight of the sharp blade appearing in his hand.

"It's the baddies," Genki confirmed, and his clear eyes were solemn as he turned his gaze to the monsters of the valley.

"Baddies?" Serinity asked, staring at them.

"Moo's warriors," Holly hastily explained. "They've been showing up again lately, and we've been trying to find out just why…"

"Moo?" Rocky gasped, staring at the brown-haired girl in horror. Pink Hopper was clinging to his arm, wailing quietly.

"Don't worry, we're going to get to the bottom of this," Genki said, winking at them. Whirling on his heel, he glanced back and added, "I'm going to go distract it and draw it away from here. We can't risk any of you getting hurt."

"I-I'm going too!" Coltia exclaimed, running over to his side. The other searchers stood up and followed her, surrounding Genki.

"We'll all help you," Scaler said, nodding solemnly at the boy. "If your friend is not here, then there is no reason for us to waste any more time in this place. Let's take out the enemy and get moving again. The sooner we start out again, the better."

"Right," and Genki turned back to the monsters of the valley again. Grinning at them, he winked again and said, "Don't you guys worry, we'll take care of that baddie! You don't have anything to worry about, I promise!"

"And once we find Golem, we'll be sure to bring him back here as well," Coltia chimed in, beaming.

"Let's get going, team!" Genki prompted, and he darted down the hallway and out of sight, with Coltia, Holly, Mocchi, Hare, Suezo and Scaler running after him. The monsters of the valley watched them leave as one, completely silent as they listened to the sound of their footsteps slowly fade away.

"Be careful," Serinity whispered, her bright green eyes shimmering as she stared off in the direction they had gone. Dixie exchanged a quick look with Crab Saurian and Fairy Hopper, then the elder pixie hybrid stood and walked over to her. She gave her shoulder a quick squeeze, startling her.

"Go after them," she prompted gently, and Serinity gasped, turning to stare up into the elder's face.

"W-What?"

"Come on, girl, don't act so stunned!" Fairy Hopper teased, his tiny red wings beating the air as he fairly bounced on Crab Saurian's back. "It's pretty obvious that you're worried about them! If it bothers you that much, just go!"

"B-but I…" Serinity stammered, taken off guard. Confused, she stared at the faces of her friends, who all gazed back at her expectantly. Some of them looked worried, others were smiling at her, and she felt her face flush uncertainly.

"I think you should go after them," Dixie said, giving the young pixie's shoulder another slight squeeze, and she smiled down into the other's face as Serinity turned wondering eyes up to her. "It's better than having you moping around her and fretting about them, isn't it? Didn't you want to see Golem again?"

Serinity opened her mouth to reply, but no sound came out. Instead, she simply gazed up at Dixie's smiling face, then glanced back over at her friends again. They all grinned at her, waiting, and after a moment Rocky stepped forward.

"What are you waiting for?" he asked, his gray eyes dancing with laughter. "Get going, or you'll end up being left behind! …And tell Golem that we all said 'Hi', okay?"

"…Y-Yes! I will!" Serinity promised, and suddenly found herself able to move again. Whirling around, she darted down the hallway after the searchers, and she felt a few tears fall from her eyes as she took one last fleeting glance back at her friends over her shoulder. "I'll be back! Good-bye!"

* * *

"Heads up, Genki!"

Genki heard Coltia's warning and ducked, dropping to the ground and rolling safely away as the huge fist swung through empty air. The Black Golem roared in anger, and Coltia took advantage of the pause in his attack to fire off another small rock from her slingshot. The tiny stone smacked the baddie directly in the center of one black eye, and its roar became a screech of outrage. It stumbled backward, and Scaler, Suezo and Mocchi leapt forward to meet it, pressing their advantage.

"Tongue Slap!" Suezo called, flailing the black giant's head with his tongue. Mocchi didn't bother to call his attack out, and the tiny pink monster head-butted the baddie's chest, only to fall away with eyes waterfalling.

"That hurt, chi!" he wailed, holding his aching head. The Black Golem attempted to stomp on the distracted child, but a flash of crimson fire suddenly exploded against the soul of his foot, knocking him further backwards.

Then the sharp blade of a dagger tore across the golem's vision, and it shrieked again as Scaler fell away from its face. The green rabbit landed all fours and quickly sprang away as the baddie fell, transforming into a lost disc.

"We did it!" Genki cheered, grinning as he thrust a fist into the air.

"Are you okay, Mocchi?" Holly asked, helping the little pink monster to his feet. Mocchi looked up at her and smiled, then wavered on his feet as his eyes spiraled.

"Head hurts lots, chi," he complained, and Holly giggled slightly at the dazed expression on his face. Hare stepped forward to help steady the younger monster, and then all eyes turned their gaze to Genki.

"So what now?" Suezo asked, staring at the boy. "Golem wasn't in the Valley of the Discs like we thought…does that mean that Tiger isn't back yet, either?"

"Maybe…it depends on whether or not he's found Grey Wolf yet," Hare commented. "At any rate, it's best if we check with his pack, first."

"Okay then, let's go!" Genki said, turning to leave.

"Wait!"

At the sound of the call behind them, the searchers stopped walking and turned around, all but Scaler looking surprised.

"Serinity?" Genki asked as the pixie hybrid came running up to them. She stopped in front of the group and looked up, her face looking a little flushed with color. She clasped her hands nervously in front of her, and her luminous green eyes wavered as she locked gazes with everyone.

"I-I want to come with you," she blurted; then, when they just stared at her, took their silence as being shock at her forwardness. "For-forgive me for being so blunt…it's just that…if what you said earlier is true, not that I'm accusing you of lying or anything, but if you were correct in guessing that Moo is…returning…then I wish to help you. I want to help you find Golem. If Moo is coming back…then he may be in serious danger. If that's true…he was my closest friend before the attack…if he's in trouble, then I wish to help you locate him. I…I want to make certain that he is safe."

"…Are you sure?" Holly asked, staring at the pixie hybrid with concern. Serinity nodded back at her, bright green eyes pleading with them.

"Please…" she asked, her voice trailing off as she stared nervously at the searchers, waiting to hear their answer. After a moment, Genki smiled and nodded at her, clear eyes shining.

"Okay, then, sure thing, Serinity!" he said, and he reached out to grab her hand, giving it a violent shake. Serinity looked at him in surprise, staring at his hand holding hers, as if she did not understand what the gesture meant.

"If you want to come along, then we're glad to have you!" he declared, continuing to smile at her. "Nice to have you along, Serinity!"

"Great, chi!" Mocchi cheered, bouncing up and hugging the startled pixie hybrid's leg. She stared down at the small pink monster for a moment, then looked around at the other smiling faces around her. A shaky smile came to her face after a while, becoming a little more confident as she saw the approval on their faces.

"Thank you," she said, bowing slightly, the movement a little bit hampered by Mocchi's clinging to her leg. Genki released her hand and ran ahead of the others, then looked back over his shoulder with a grin.

"All right then, let's get moving, everyone!" he said, waving for his friends to follow. "The sooner we get started, the sooner we can find the others! Yeah!"  


He turned and took off, heading deeper into the woods, and the other searchers followed behind him. Mocchi jumped up and clung to his back, laughing as he did so, and Coltia ran beside the boy, matching his enthusiasm perfectly. Hare ran beside Holly and Suezo, with Scaler directly behind him, the green rabbit watching the younger one run with a slight smile on his face.

Serinity watched them for a moment, then spread her wings and flapped them once, letting the breeze fill them. Springing lightly into the air, she took off after them, flying only a few feet over the ground. She caught up in no time, and glided along beside the running group, first smiling, then laughing as she followed along. She barely glanced backward at the ruins, leaving them behind for now, knowing in her heart that one day, hopefully not too far away, she would return to them again.

And when she did return, it would be with her old, dear friend beside her once more.


	4. Bladesman in the Forest

* * * Episode Four: Bladesman in the Forest * * *

"Everyone keep running!" Genki shouted.

"Like…we…need…a…reminder?!?" Suezo panted, hopping after the other rebels as they raced deeper into the forest. Genki glared back at him, but before he could shout out an angry retort, a bolt of energy streaked past them, mere inches away from striking both eyeball monster and boy. Both of them stared at it with widened eyes and sweatdropped, and quickly turned their full attention back to the issue at hand, that of escaping with their lives.

"Yeeek! Get away get away get away!" Coltia screeched, waving her arms and legs wildly as she ran alongside the other rebels. Serinity and Holly sweatdropped as they glanced over at her, but both knew better than to comment on how strange she looked running away like that…after all, they were panicking just as much as she was, even if she was a bit more vocal about it.

"What kind of monsters are those, anyway? Baddies?" Serinity asked, glancing back over her shoulder at the creatures that pursued them.

"Shell Saurians!" Scaler called back at her, giving Hare a rough push from behind to hasten the younger rabbit along. "They're some of the more common of Moo's warriors, since Dino and Zuum types aren't as rare as some other monsters. Their hard shells act like a sort of built-in armor, and they're typically very fast on their feet!"

"Really?" Serinity asked, turning bright green eyes toward him.

"This isn't exactly the time for a lesson about monster types!" Suezo shouted, panting hard as he came up behind the other rebels. "It doesn't matter what they are, we need to get them off our tails, now!"

"That's a great idea, only how do you suggest we go about doing that?" Scaler asked, looking back at him. Steel flickered briefly in his paws as he added, "I can probably take out the ones in front right away, but I'll need someone to cover me when I close quarters with the others!"

"Serinity, do you know any ray attacks?" Genki asked, and the pixie hybrid flashed him a surprised look.

"…Y-Yes, I do know one," she stammered, blinking her wide green eyes in surprise, "but I'm afraid that I'm not that great of a shot…"

"Try it," Scaler suggested, several of his smaller knives glinting in his hands again as he added, "I'll cover you while you test it out, just in case."

"O-okay!" she replied, nodding back at him. With a sudden flap of her wings, the pixie hybrid sprang into the air, and she pivoted in midair, pointing both palms of her hands back toward the pursuing dinosaurs.

"Here we go! Scattershot!" she shouted, and her hands glowed as small bolts of bright green light shot from her fingertips, streaking down toward the saurians like glowing droplets of rain. The majority of the tiny beams struck the ground harmlessly, but one or two managed to hit one of the baddies on the side of their legs or their tails. One bolt burned through a particularly unlucky dinosaur's toe, and he yelped in pain, skidding to a halt to blow on his smoking foot.

Serinity sweatdropped, and she swooped down to fly beside the other searchers, her face burning. Scaler gave her a mildly surprised look, arching an eyebrow at her.

"…You weren't kidding when you said you were a lousy shot," Suezo commented, and Serinity's normally pale face reddened even more.

"Well, what did you expect? I'm not really a big fighter…I've only been in one real battle…and I, um, kinda lost…"

"Great," Suezo groaned, rolling his eye. Scaler shot him an annoyed look out of the corner of his eye.

"Do you know any long-range attacks like that?" he asked, dark violet-brown eyes flashing. "If you do, please use them now and show her how it is done."

Suezo did not answer, and quickly looked away, avoiding the scaled rabbit's eyes. After a moment, Scaler nodded curtly.

"I thought so," he muttered, glancing back at the baddies still following them. "Don't tease her about her aim when she at least has attacks to aim!"

"Shouldn't we be concentrating on fighting these guys instead of fighting each other?!?" Coltia wailed, and a fireball whizzed past the girl's ear as if to emphasize her lament.

"Chi!"

"Colt's right, we have to fight them!" Genki shouted, gritting his teeth as he cast another quick glance over his shoulder. The Shell Saurians were drawing closer with each passing moment, and some of their attacks, while none had actually hit their marks yet, were getting more and more accurate. It would only be a matter of time before one of the fireballs hit its target, and then…

A fireball passed over the boy's head, singing the very tip of his cap, and Genki gritted his teeth again. Suddenly he skidded to a stop, and as Holly and the others cast a shocked look at him, whirled around and raced toward the Shell Saurians.

"Genki!" Holly screamed, horrified.

Fortunately, the Shell Saurians were as startled by the boy's sudden attack as the other rebels were, and the boy's foot smashed into the snout of the leader without any resistance at all from the baddies. Blood spurted out and covered the heel of his boot, and Genki quickly jumped backwards as the dinosaur stumbled back into its comrades.

"Ah…ah…ah," Serinity gasped, eyes wide with horror as she watched the saurian's crimson blood drip down the side of its face and stain the grass beneath it. The dinosaur snarled, beady black eyes filling with outrage as he glared at Genki.

"You'll…pay for that…human!" he growled, and lunged forward with his claws, barely missing the boy's chest. Genki jumped backward, then balled his hands into fists and brought them down on the already bloody snout. The saurian let out a choked cry and lunged for the boy, only to catch a dagger in his neck for his efforts.

The Shell Saurian screamed, and Genki found himself crying out in shock as well, for the knife had nicked his arm as it flew past him. As he grasped his wounded arm, which fortunately had not been cut too deeply, the other baddies saw their chance and rushed toward him.

Suddenly, however, Scaler was darting past the boy, a blur of green and tan as he leapt forward to meet the attackers with his own assault. Steel flashed from his paws to bury itself in the necks and bodies of several of the dinosaurs, and as the rest fell backward to regroup, the scaled rabbit glanced back over his shoulder at Genki.

"Get up," he hissed, violet-brown eyes flashing like the sword he held before him. "Don't show your enemy any weakness. Get up and fight!"

Genki gave the green rabbit an annoyed look, but quickly clambered to his feet. His arm throbbed a little where he had been cut, but he flexed it slightly and decided that it would be okay. After all, he was the Monster Champion, and a little thing like a wound on his arm wasn't going to keep him from protecting his friends!

"Here we go, gang!" he shouted, and joined Scaler in attacking the Shell Saurians. As Mocchi, Hare and Suezo ran forward with their own attacks, Coltia snatched a rock up from the ground and slung it at the face of the nearest baddie. Holly and Serinity backed away, watching the battle unfold before them, and the pixie hybrid gasped quietly, green eyes wavering with fear and horror.

"…How…how horrible," she whispered, shaking her head slowly, unable to tear her gaze away. "How…how can you possibly fight like that…?"

She shuddered, and Holly shot her a concerned look before a shout pulled her attention back towards the battle. Her eyes widened with terror as she saw what was happening: the Shell Saurians were using their vast numbers to simply overwhelm the fighting rebels. As she and the paralyzed Serinity watched, several of the baddies yanked Genki and Mocchi to the ground and kicked them repeatedly, keeping them pinned to the ground though they fought to rise. Suezo and Coltia saw this happen, and both tried to make their way over to their fallen friends, only to get pushed back by the baddies.

"Genki!" Coltia shouted, and she fumbled for her slingshot. One of the Shell Saurians lashed out with his tail and the young girl yelped as the tip flailed into her hand. Her slingshot flew out of her grasp and got knocked away by another tail strike, and Coltia cradled her uninjured hand around her wounded one as she took a hesitant step backward.

"Tongue Slap!" Suezo called out, whacking several of the zuums away from her. However, one of the baddies launched a fireball at him, and he gagged and coughed as the glowing sphere struck his tongue.

"Suezo! Colt! Mocchi! Genki!" Hare called, and the tawny-furred rabbit whirled around to go help them. Scaler grabbed at his shoulder as he tried to run past, and pulled the younger rabbit closer to his body, half-shielding him under his cloak.

"Are you insane? You'll only get yourself killed!" he yelled, pulling him backwards as he spoke. His free paw blurred again, and five more Shell Saurians cried out as they suddenly found blades lodged in their throats.

"Let me go!" Hare shouted, struggling vainly against the elder rabbit's grasp. Scaler only tightened his grip in reply, and tears sprung to Hare's wavering eyes as he pleaded, "I have to help them! They're in danger!"

"You're in danger!" Scaler retorted, yanking him backward. Sensing victory, the baddies started to move in on the two hares, but a few swipes from the green rabbit's ready sword quickly discouraged them. Deciding to focus their attention on the easier targets first, the baddies turned to the still pinned Genki and Mocchi. Several of them opened their mouths, and a deep yellowish-orange glow surrounded their gaping maws as they prepared to fire their attacks.

"No! Mocchi! Genki!" Holly cried out in helpless terror. Behind her, Serinity gasped, and suddenly reached out instinctively with one hand, slender fingers weaving a spell.

"Scattershot!" she shouted again, desperately. Again small bolts of bright green light streaked from her gesturing fingers, and again few of them actually hit any of the Shell Saurians. However, it did manage to distract them for a second, as they paused to look at the small verdant beams that shot past them.

"This…isn't working," she murmured, sweatdropping again. The Shell Saurians eyed her for a second, then shrugged in unison and started to power up their attacks again.

"Let me go! I have to help them!" Hare pleaded, fighting against Scaler's stubborn grasp. Scaler's eyes remained impassive, and he kept his firm grip on the younger rabbit's shoulder despite his continued protests, the dull flickering of the Shell Saurians' growing fireballs reflecting off of his dark, narrowed eyes.

"Genki…Mocchi…" Coltia moaned, still cradling her injured hand. Beside her, Suezo continued to gag and choke as his tongue smoked.

Genki moaned, and the boy raised his head groggily just in time to see the Shell Saurians charge their attacks even higher. The orange-yellow flames glowed dangerously, and Genki felt his eyes widen in dull terror as he watched the fireballs build, and he pulled a barely conscious Mocchi closer to his side as the baddies prepared to launch their attacks…

"Genki, no!" Holly screamed, and the girl involuntarily squeezed her eyes shut as the fireballs threatened to reach out and engulf her friends. She heard Genki and Mocchi scream, and then the sound was abruptly cut off with a short cry.

"Genki! Mocchi!" Hare shouted, and Holly forced herself to open her eyes to confront what had happened. Looking over, she sucked in a gasp despite herself, and stared disbelieving at what stood before her.

"…What?" Genki murmured, opening his eyes and staring up to see that several of the Shell Saurians had suddenly backed up, their beady black eyes watching a stranger that was standing in front of them, between them and their would-be victims. As Genki and Mocchi stared up at the strange person, startled, he threw a quick glance back at them and smirked, ever so slightly.

"You dare to defy Master Moo as well?" the leader demanded, glaring at him. The stranger nodded, and drew out a very sharp-looking sword from its sheath, holding it before him in direct challenge. The Shell Saurians regarded him, then just as they were about to advance, a small dagger shot out from behind them and buried itself in the ground, causing them to glance backwards.

Scaler stood in front of Hare, swords in both of his paws, and his cloak was deliberately swept back over his shoulders enough to reveal more blades glinting at his sides. Behind him, Hare had his paws balled into fists, and his kerchief had slipped enough to partially reveal the glowing crystal at his neck.

The Shell Saurians paused, and sweatdropped in unison. Obviously this was one situation that they didn't like being in.

"Err…later!" the leader said, and suddenly they were off, running away at full speed, leaving a cloud of dust in their wake. The searchers watched them go, and Serinity sighed in relief.

"Thank goodness we didn't have to fight them to the death," she murmured, eyes wavering with a mixture of fear and relief.

Their savior turned to face them, and Genki felt his mouth drop open in shock. This swordsman was a boy, one who didn't appear to be much older than he was, although obviously more skilled in the ways of battle. The simple leather tunic he wore hinted at a chain mail vest underneath, and a thick belt at his slender waist bore the weight of his sword as he slid it securely back into place. Loose-fitting black pants were tucked into the cuffs of the stranger's leather boots, and a pair of golden earrings twinkled in the sunlight as he smiled over at the group.

"Ah, Genki, Holly, long time no see! Looks like I happened across you just in time, eh?"

"Huh?" Genki stared at the stranger in growing astonishment. Something about the confident smirk on the boy's face was familiar, and the way that his narrow sapphire eyes sparkled the same way the twin loops of gold in his ears did…the way that his ruffled, blue-gray hair drifted over his face in jagged bangs…

Recognition hit Genki with full force, and Holly gasped in surprise as she remembered as well. Suezo and Mocchi blinked in unison, stunned, and as the strange boy's grin widened, the little pink monster abruptly understood.

"Alan-chi?" he asked, pointing at the bladesman in confusion. The boy laughed in reply, and made a quick signal with one hand. As Genki, Holly, Mocchi and Suezo gaped at him, a pair of screeching Worms surfaced behind him, one much larger than the other.

"Alan!" Genki called, now absolutely certain.

"I wondered if that was the problem," the boy with blue-gray hair snickered, deep blue eyes twinkling with laughter. "It's good to see all of you again."

Hare was staring blankly at his friends, not certain what was going on. Genki glanced over at him and immediately understood the problem.

"Oh yeah, that's right, you've never met Alan before, have you?" he commented. Hare just gave him a blank, confused look, and Genki smiled. Gesturing back at the other boy, he explained, "This is Alan, a friend of ours. We met him when we were passing through here before, back when it was just me, Holly, Mocchi, Suezo and Golem…"  


"Hey, where is the big guy, anyway?" Alan interrupted, looking around. "It's not exactly hard to miss someone as tall as he is…so where…?"

He trailed off as he suddenly noticed the strange, wistful expressions that Holly, Mocchi, Suezo and Hare suddenly wore. Even Genki looked slightly saddened for a moment, but that passed quickly as he shook his head and locked eyes with Alan.

"I think we need to talk about that," he said, clear eyes shining. Alan paused, then nodded back at him.

"You may be right," he said, then glanced around and added, "But it isn't safe for us to have a meeting out in the open like this. I'll lead you back to my hideout. Worms!"

He turned and made a swift signal with his hand; the two worms screeched in unison and dove back into the ground, burrowing swiftly and soon vanishing from sight. Alan then sprang into the branches of a nearby tree, and he glanced over his shoulder at the searchers, a cocky grin on his face.

"Try and keep up, if you can," and then he was gone with a rustle of leaves and branches.

"Wait up!" Genki shouted, barreling into the woods after him. The other searchers followed after him, and Suezo sweatdropped as he struggled to keep up with them.

"This is definitely Alan we're dealing with," he muttered, in between gasps for breath.

* * *

"…So let me get this straight: you had them outnumbered, and you fled?"

The Shell Saurians winced in unison, and all of them kept their heads bowed, their faces nearly in the dirt underneath them. All of them trembled, none daring to glance upward in fear that doing so would further incite the wrath of the one who stood before them. The speaker's figure was wreathed in shadows, making it impossible to make out any of its features, save for its glowing crimson eyes.

"And why, may I ask," the voice hissed, "did you choose to flee?"

The dinosaurs froze, paralyzed with fear. None of them dared to answer yet at the same time knew that failure to reply would result in destruction for all of them. After a few moments, several pairs of beady eyes flicked toward the front and the leader gulped silently, knowing that his comrades expected him to be the one to respond.

"W-well…" he started, slowly, stammering without meaning to, "t-they had a lot of really sharp swords, a-and…"

The figure in the shadows sighed and whispered, "Enough." Just one word, but it was more than enough to make the Shell Saurian's already wildly pounding heart to leap into his throat. A glowing black light erupted from the darkness, and the leader screeched in agony as his form was rapidly engulfed by the dark radiance. The other Shell Saurians panicked and scattered, bolting away from their dying commander's writhing body.

"What pathetic fools," the hidden monster commented, watching with glowing crimson eyes as the zuum hybrids fled in terror. A sudden flash of ebony light behind them caused it to turn, and another, larger figure appeared, also wreathed in shadow.

"They are getting away," the newcomer commented in a deep, booming voice.

"Let them run. They were useless fools anyway," the first one replied, sounding unconcerned. "Where do they expect to run to? Their crests will mark them as baddies to any possibly friendly hosts they may find, and they are too frightened and stupid to dare approach any other baddies for aid. The only way they can help themselves now would be to prove their worth by destroying Moo's enemies, and the chances of that…"

Both of them laughed, then suddenly went rigid, their eyes flashing an even brighter red for an instant.

"Moo calls," the second one whispered, and the first one nodded.

"Let us go," it replied, and with two flashes of ebony light, they had vanished.

* * *

"…So that's it," Alan said, nodding grimly as the searchers finished their tale. His arms were crossed over his chest, and his dark blue eyes shone with thought as he gazed back into the blazing fire before him. Genki and Holly nodded in solemn reply, falling silent as well, and Coltia let out the breath she had been holding with a soft whoosh.

"Wow…" she murmured, turning shining tan eyes on Genki, Holly, Suezo, Mocchi and Hare as if seeing them in a new light. "I didn't realize that you guys were actually the ones who defeated Moo in the first place! It sounds like you really went through a lot…"

__

You have no idea, Holly thought glumly, reaching down and grasping the hilt of the dagger she wore on her belt. She noticed that Hare was holding the Phoenix's Tear gently in both paws, keeping it clasped against his chest, and wondered briefly if he was thinking along the same lines that she was.

"Having second thoughts about coming along?" Suezo teased, eyeing Coltia. Coltia's face flushed bright red, and she glared over at Suezo angrily.

"No, I'm not!" she cried, sticking her tongue out at the eyeball monster. "I still want to help you fight this thing, no matter what happens!"

"As do I," Scaler added, reaching over and gripping Hare's shoulder slightly.

"I wish to help as well," Serinity added, nervously clasping her hands in her lap to keep from trembling. "I want to help you find your friends again, and if we have to fight Moo to find them…well…so be it."

Alan looked at all of them and nodded slightly, his sapphire eyes gleaming as he noted, "Well, it looks like you have quite a few new recruits with you already. And all of you are determined to help them?"

Coltia, Scaler and Serinity all nodded back at him, solemnly. Alan smiled, nodding back, then suddenly turned away. Genki and the others stared at his back, confused.

"Alan-chi?" Mocchi ventured after a moment. Alan seemed to jump in surprise, and he quickly turned back around, smiling at the little pink monster.

"…Hey, you all should stay here for the night," he said, gesturing around the cave he used as his base. "The enemy rarely ventures this deep into the woods, and the entrance is hidden anyway, so you shouldn't have any problems tonight. You'll need your rest if you're planning on continuing this quest of yours."

"…Alan?" Holly whispered, giving the silver-haired boy a strange look. Alan glanced over at her and smiled, briefly, then turned away again.

"Don't worry about it," he said, waving a hand over his shoulder at her in dismissal of any comments she or the others might have made. "I'm going to run some patrols before heading to bed myself; the rest of you should go ahead and get settled in. Trust me."

With that, he walked further away from the light of the campfire and soon vanished into the shadows. The searchers stared after him for a moment, then Genki let out a yawn and stretched out.

"He's got a point," he said, leaning backward as he stretched out his arms over his head. "Maybe we should try and get some sleep now."

"Yeah, who knows when we'll be able to get a good night's rest again," Suezo commented darkly, already curling up as he spoke.

"You should get some sleep," Scaler turned and informed Hare, his tone leaving no room for argument. The younger rabbit glared at him for a moment, but found himself being stared down, and grudgingly settled down.

"Mocchi tired," Mocchi commented, curling up into a ball beside Genki. Within a matter of seconds, he was already fast asleep, and Genki smiled protectively at him, draping an arm over the young monster's back.

Serinity wrapped both of her wings around her and lay down, letting her short orange bangs shade her eyes from the flickering firelight. Holly retrieved some blankets from Suezo's pack, passing them around. As she settled down, Coltia walked over and sat down beside her.

"So you know that cute guy from before?" she leaned over and whispered in Holly's ear, tan eyes glimmering with interest. Holly felt her face flush bright red without even knowing why.

"Yes," she confirmed, nodding, "we met Alan back when we were first passing through this forest."

"Lucky you," Coltia sighed, dreamily. "It must be nice to have known two guys that are so cute for that long…"

"W-What?" Holly stammered, turning widened bronze eyes on the other girl in shock. But Coltia had already turned her face away and was wrapped up in her blanket, fast asleep. Aware that her face was still burning, Holly gazed back into the slowly fading fire, trying to figure out why she felt so embarrassed.

__

Colt's just being silly, she decided silently after a moment. _She was just teasing me about having met Genki and Alan before her…but why did she make that comment about me being lucky? …She must be joking around. I'm hardly…lucky…_

* * *

Alan smiled as a pair of screeches greeted him the moment he emerged from the cave. He glanced up towards the rapidly darkening sky: a few stars had already made their appearance, and sparkled brilliantly above the treetops. A cool breeze ruffled his short, blue-gray hair, and he absently flipped his bangs away from his face.

"When it's nice out like this, it's so difficult to believe that Moo may be back," he commented, his sapphire eyes glinting solemnly as they reflected the light of the stars. The larger of his Worms crooned slightly, distressed by his bothered tone, and he flashed his original monster a quick smile.

"But we'll stop him, won't we, Worm?" he asked, grinning over at the huge monster. "We won't let him get away with whatever he's got planned. Between us working here and the others going after the Phoenix, we'll be alright."

His two monsters squealed in eager agreement, and Alan sprang on the back of the elder one. Tossing back his head, letting his short black cape billow in the wind, he made a quick signal with his hand, raising it high into the air.

"Let's go, you two! We have a lot of ground to cover tonight!"

Again the two Worms screeched in unison, then they began to lurch forward, moving surprisingly fast considering their size. As they plunged deeper into the forest, Alan reached down and patted his sword's hilt, checking to make certain it was secure in its sheath. With any luck, he would not need it tonight, but…

* * *

Holly sighed silently as she stared into the dying fire, stirring the fading embers with a small stick she had found so the flames would not fade completely. She had pulled her knees up to her chest, and her bronze eyes shimmered both from reflections of the campfire and with thought.

As hard as she tried, she simply could not stop thinking about what Coltia had said to her. For some reason, the younger girl's airy comment about her being lucky for knowing two cute guys had really bothered her. She wasn't quite certain what it was exactly that was nagging her…it was just that, when Coltia had made that comment, it had struck something within her, something she couldn't quite put a name to.

__

Was she saying that she was jealous of me, she wondered._ Just because I met Genki and Alan before she did…? …No, no, that couldn't be right. Colt isn't really the jealous type…and why would she be jealous of me, anyway? It's not like they…_

Suddenly a soft groan from nearby interrupted her thoughts, and Holly looked up in surprise. It took only a second for the shock to fade from her eyes and turn to sympathy when she saw what was happening.

"Oh, Hare," she whispered softly, watching the young monster toss back and forth, groaning faintly. He was obviously either having another nightmare or vision, and as she watched, eyes misting with sympathetic tears, she heard another faint gasp behind her. Turning around, she saw that Serinity was also awake, and was staring at the small rabbit with wide, horrified eyes.

"H-Holly? W-What's wrong with him?" she asked, trembling a little bit as she turned her frightened gaze to the human girl. When Holly did not answer right away, the hybrid looked back at the still moaning bunny, then started to stand up, causing Holly to quickly reach up and grab her hand.

"Wait!" she whispered loudly, pulling Serinity back down. Startled, Serinity lost her balance and fell backward with a soft thud, nearly crushing her tail. Biting back a yelp of surprise, she stared at the human girl in surprise as Holly hastily explained, "I'm sorry, but it's normally best if you don't try to wake him up when he's like this. He might be having a vision, and if he is, then it might have a warning or something else in it that he has to see."

"…But he…he looks like he's in pain," Serinity murmured, bright green eyes wavering as she glanced back toward him. Holly bit her lip and looked down at the ground, letting her bangs fall over her face and shade her eyes.

"I know," she whispered, shaking her head slightly, "but…sometimes, his visions have information that we really need to hear. I know it's hard to just sit back and do nothing, but…"

"…Miss Holly," Serinity whispered softly, reaching over to the human girl and placing a slender hand on her shoulder. Holly looked up at her, bronze eyes wavering, and the pixie asked, "Do you need to step outside for a little while…? …According to what Alan said, it should be fairly safe, and I think you may need the time…I'll look after things here for you."

"…T-thank you," Holly said, standing up slowly and turning away. As she started to walk toward the entrance, she glanced back and saw that Serinity had also moved, and was now kneeling next to Hare, silently watching him as he continued to moan and toss in his sleep. After a moment, the pixie hybrid reached down and gently took one of his hands in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Holly smiled sadly, then turned around and slowly made her way out of the cave. Pushing away the leaves that covered the entrance, she stepped out into the cool night air. As she sighed and gazed up toward the twinkling stars so far above her, the wind eagerly began to play with her hair, tossing it around behind her and ruffling her bangs.

She sighed; the cool caress of the breeze felt so nice against her reddened cheeks, and she stood there for some time, gazing up at the darkened sky, losing herself in the stars. After a while, she realized with a start that her cheeks were wet; she had started crying without even noticing. Startled, she reached up and brushed the side of her hand against her tear-stained cheek, then pulled it away and gave it a confused look.

__

Why…am I crying? She asked herself, looking back up at the stars with wavering bronze eyes. However, even as she wondered that, she realized in the same instant that she had many things to cry about. The problems and responsibilities she faced during the day in stoic silence crashed down upon her all at once, and her resolve crumpled to dust as they fell upon her.

She was crying because she didn't think she could handle this. She knew this, and also knew that the realization of this was causing her to start crying again. As hot tears began to brim in her eyes again, she quickly fled from the cave entrance, not wanting to disturb her friends that still slumbered within. At the very least, she feared, Serinity might overhear her sobs and come looking for her, to see what was the matter, and she didn't want to burden the pixie hybrid with any more problems.

She didn't go far: she knew better than to stray away and risk getting lost. Then the others would most certainly come looking for her, and figure out that something was bothering her. Instead, she walked only a short ways from the cave, to a lake that Alan had pointed out close by. It was close enough to the hideout that she knew she would have no trouble finding her way back to it later.

She kneeled down on the bank, gazing at her reflection in the water for some time, noting how the moonlight seemed to make the water glow like translucent liquid silver. It looked beautiful, serene, and a stark contrast to how she felt at the moment.

A single tear dropped from her wavering bronze eyes and caused ripples in the smooth surface of the lake, and the moonlight shifted to crest each tiny wave with silver. Watching this, Holly felt more tears spring to her eyes: she felt as if she had ruined the perfect scenery with her selfish tears, shattered the serenity of the moment because of her own petty wants and fears. It was a completely irrational, self-berating thought, but she still allowed it to take root, and more tears dropped into the lake as she began to sob quietly.

* * *

"…Well, that was easy enough," Alan commented lightly, glancing back over his shoulder at his two partners as they burrowed after him. "Those Shell Saurians were so scattered around, I don't know how they expected to accomplish. They didn't put up much of a fight, either: one or two strikes with the old blade and they all scrambled away. How weak is that?"

He laughed, and the two Worms screeched as if agreeing with him. Grinning, Alan looked back at them and nodded again.

"You two go ahead and turn in for the night; you've earned it," he instructed.

The smaller monster screeched again, and eagerly burrowed underground, ready to return home and get some rest. However, the larger one hesitated, and its multiple eyes gleamed inquisitively as it cocked its body to one side.

"Don't worry, I'm going to bed soon," Alan laughed, waving his older monster off. This seemed to satisfy it, and as it also retreated into the earth, Alan laughed and shook his head slightly. Turning away, he glanced up into the dark sky, his sapphire eyes catching and reflecting the starlight. Shouldering his blade, he traced his way through the woods, using his knowledge of the forest's layout to weave a path that would not leave a trail that any would-be pursuers could follow.

A soft noise caught his attention, and Alan looked around in confusion. Fingering the hilt of his sword, he carefully moved toward the sound, his eyes narrowed into slits as he concentrated on making as little noise as possible. Creeping forward, he slowly began to draw his blade, then suddenly froze as he saw who was making the noise.

"Holly?" he whispered, causing the girl to gasp and leap to her feet, whirling around to face him. Her bronze eyes looked huge and luminous in the moonlight, and her pale skin seemed to glow as well.

"Alan?" she asked, struggling to keep her voice from trembling. He stepped forward so she could see him, and she relaxed, her tense shoulders slumping with relief. "Oh…you startled me…"

"Holly, why were you crying?" Alan inquired, walking over to her side. Holly averted her gaze, and tried to turn away from him, while she stammered for some hasty excuse. However, he refused to let her escape this way, and stepped quickly up beside her, gently taking her chin and pointing back towards him.

"Tell me," he said, his narrow sapphire eyes locked with her own, wavering bronze ones. Holly paused, then sighed, recognizing that she could not get herself out of this one.

"…I'm just…a little upset about everything that's been happening lately," she confessed, slowly. Alan said nothing, just continued to gaze into her eyes, and she found herself blurting, "It's just so hard to believe that Moo might be coming back again. After all the hard work we went through before…was that all for nothing? And…and I'm worried about Golem and Tiger. We were hoping that Golem would be back in the forest with his friends, that was where he said he was going, but he wasn't there. Genki says that isn't a problem, but I just don't know…Golem's not one to go back on his word, and he was so eager to see everyone again…"

"Hmm…" Alan murmured, simply nodding.

"…And then there's Tiger. Genki seems so confident that Tiger is going to be with his pack when we find them, but…I'm not so sure…I really have a bad feeling about it, but I haven't said anything. I can't, because I know that the others really hope to see him there, safe…I want him to be safe to, but…what if they're…what if…what if Moo and the baddies found them already?"

She shuddered, and a reluctant tear squeezed out of the corner of one wavering bronze eye as she broke free of Alan and turned away.

"…Serinity, Coltia, and even Scaler…they're putting themselves in serious danger just to help us…I'm worried…I want everyone to be okay. I don't want Moo's evil to hurt anyone anymore! But I feel so helpless…"

"You're not helpless."

"What?" Holly turned around to stare at Alan; he had stepped up behind her and taken one of her hands in his own. As she stared into his solemn, determined face, she noticed that his blue-gray hair looked silver in the moonlight.

"You are not helpless," he repeated, his sapphire eyes catching and holding her own, "because you have great power resting inside of you. You have love, and others love you, giving you the strength you need to keep fighting. I can tell this, and I know that nothing can change that. Holly, you are such a kind and caring person, there is no way you can fail at anything you set your mind to!"

"…Alan…I can't," Holly faltered, unable to find anything she could say.

"Here," and Alan pressed something small and round into her palm, gently closing her fingers over it. Reopening her hand, Holly stared down at the tiny gold loop uncomprehendingly for a moment, then raised her gaze to the silver-haired boy's face. He grinned back at her, and flipped back a lock of hair so she could glimpse the bare lobe of his right ear.

"I actually prefer this style better," he said, indicating the twin earring still glittering in his other ear. It seemed to wink knowingly at the girl, and Holly felt her face flush red with uncertainty.

"But why give this to me?" she asked.

"Think of it as a sort of reminder," Alan replied, blue eyes twinkling roguishly. "As long as you hang onto that, it'll remind you that I'm out there, fighting against Moo the same way that you and the others are. That way, you'll be able to keep hope with you. Also, it's my way of making a promise that we will meet again…"

Holly blushed again, and weakly protested, "But I have nothing to give you in return…"

Her voice trailed off as Alan crouched before her, lifted her empty hand with his own, and swiftly planted a kiss upon it. The slight contact of his warm lips against the smooth back of her hand was enough to completely silence the girl, and she stared down at him in dull shock.

After a while, he released her hand, and grinned roguishly up at her, sapphire eyes gleaming.

"That'll do," he said simply, then turned on his heel and strode off into the forest. Glancing back at her over his shoulder, he called, "Now try and get some sleep. You'll need it if you plan on heading out tomorrow morning."

He disappeared into the trees, and Holly stared off after him for several moments, unable to move or react. Slowly, she brought her trembling hand up in front of her chest, grasping at the Magic Stone. She stood there alone in the moonlight for several minutes, her bronze eyes wavering with thought, and then slowly began to make her way back to the hideout where the others were.

* * *

"Is everyone awake?" Alan asked, striding purposefully into the cave, the light of the morning streaming from the exposed opening behind him. Holly nodded in reply, helping a yawning Coltia to her feet. Genki stretched out his arms and yawned loudly, and accidentally whacked Suezo in the face with the back of his fist.

"What was that for?" Suezo demanded, leaping back up with a vein standing out on the back of his head. Genki glanced back at him, eyes widening with surprise.

"Sorry, I didn't know you were back there, Suezo," he apologized.

Suezo grumbled an unintelligible reply, and Scaler mumbled something under his breath. Although the others could not hear exactly what he said, Suezo appeared to overhear and understand it, and judging from the death glare he aimed back at the green rabbit, it was not exactly very complementary.

"Are you okay, Hare?" Serinity asked in a whisper, helping the tawny-furred rabbit to his feet. Hare looked up at her in surprise, and she quickly explained, "You looked like you had a nightmare last night. Are you alright?"  


"Y-Yeah, I'm fine now," he replied, nodding up at her.

"If you don't mind my asking…what was it about?"

"I…don't remember everything," Hare answered, his soft brown eyes becoming distant. "I remember…I remember feeling very cold…it was dark, and I couldn't see anyone. I…I felt so alone…like everyone had abandoned me…"

He trailed off, and shivered with the memory. Not knowing what she should do, Serinity draped an arm across his shoulders comfortingly, and was rewarded by a slight smile from the young bunny. Scaler noticed this out of the corner of his eye, and arched an eyebrow slightly at the sight, but said nothing.

"You should get going," Alan said as he led them out of the forest. "The sooner you head out, the less risk you run of meeting any of Moo's patrols. I scouted the area last night; there's no sign of any baddies around, so you should be fine until you reach the canyon, but…"

Shrugging his shoulders, the blue-gray haired boy then pushed a few last branches out of the way, and Genki raced out eagerly into the open field before them. Coltia and Mocchi were directly behind him, laughing.

"Yahoo! We're out of the forest!" they cheered in unison, while Mocchi cried "Chi! Chi!" excitedly. The other searchers sweatdropped as they watched the trio do some impromptu gymnastics and cavort around the field, and Alan smirked to himself.

"Well, I suppose you can take care of yourselves from here," he commented, turning away and stepping back into the woods. Genki stopped short and turned to stare at the other boy, and Coltia ran right into his back.

"Aren't you coming with us, Alan?" Genki asked, oblivious to Coltia's startled grunt. She stumbled backwards, eyes spiraling and moaning, and tripped right over Mocchi, causing both of them to fall to the ground. Holly shook her head, sweatdropping, and bent to help both of them to their feet.

"Nah, I've got some work to do here first, just to make certain that the baddies won't claim this area," Alan explained, grinning, and a twinkle appeared in his narrowed sapphire eyes as he added, "But you will be seeing me again. Count on it."

Holly gasped faintly, a red hue covering her cheeks for an instant, but it faded away before any of the other searchers could notice it. Alan winked in her direction, then spun back toward the forest and was suddenly lost in its branches.

"Alan…" Holly whispered, her voice faint. None of the other searchers overheard her, for all attention was focused on where the young bladesman had been.

"I wonder what he meant by that?" Serinity asked, blinking her bright green eyes in confusion.

"Oh wow! Maybe he liked me so much that he wants to see me again!" Coltia shouted, making a wistful, lovey-dovey face. Huge sparkles glimmered in her widened tan eyes as she clasped her hands in front of her and blurted, "He's in love with me, I can tell! He can't wait to see me again…oh wow, oh wow, this is so perfect! How romantic…ooohhh…"

None of the other rebels made any comment; they just stared at her and slowly edged away, huge sweatdrops on the backs of their heads.

"Uh…yeah…anyway, let's get moving, team!" Genki shouted, whirling on his heel and racing off toward the canyons. The others dashed after him, Serinity launching into the air and gliding on the wind currents. Coltia was left standing alone, and it took a few seconds before she snapped out of her love-struck mood and noticed that they were leaving.

"…Hey! Don't leave me!" she shouted, dashing after them. It only took her a few seconds to catch up, and soon the entire group was heading off together, all eyes trained on the road that spread out before them.

Only Holly was not running at full speed, and as the others led the way, she brought one clenched hand up to her chest, bronze eyes wavering as she glanced down at her palm. A glint of gold flickered briefly in the sunlight, and she sighed, lost in her own thoughts.

__

Maybe Alan is in love… she thought, a small sigh escaping from her as she silently added, _But, I'm sorry Colt, I don't think it's with you… What do I do now?_

The small loop of gold she held in her hand glimmered again, offering her no answers, only more questions that she found she could not answer.


	5. Enter the Wolf

* * * Episode Five: Enter the Wolf * * *

"Are you certain this is the right place?"

"Sure I'm sure," Genki replied, glancing over at Serinity with a slightly annoyed expression on his face. "This is where we found Tiger before, back when we were first starting out. I know his lair has to be around here somewhere…"

"I don't get it," Suezo complained, scanning the cliffs around them, seeing nothing. "This is where we saw all those lost discs before, right?"

"Yes," Holly confirmed, noticing out of the corner of her eye how Serinity and Hare both winced at the words 'lost discs'. Not that she could blame them, as she shuddered at the memory of how the canyon had looked before, with lost discs scattered everywhere.

"Perhaps they simply moved their pack," Scaler pointed out, his violet-brown eyes solemn as he added, "After all, if the enemy located them here before and killed all of them, then they must have realized that this was not the safest of places to live."

"That's true…" Hare agreed haltingly, his wide brown eyes darkening with thought. "But then…where do you think that they might have gone?"

The searchers bowed their heads in thought, and then Scaler shrugged under his cloak.

"Who knows? They may all be dead," he commented nonchalantly.

"Don't say that!" Serinity gasped, bright green eyes going wide and wavering with sudden tears. Hare and Mocchi stared at the scaled rabbit in dull shock, while Coltia began to fight back sobs of her own.

"Shut up, Scaler!" Suezo hissed, glaring coldly at him. Scaler said nothing, but merely shot the eyeball monster a piercing glare in return.

"You cannot deny that it is a possibility," he pointed out, his voice still neutral. "After all, if they were stupid enough to stick around, and the enemy came back…"

"No, I know that they're alright!" Genki insisted, shaking his head in violent denial. "I know that they're okay! We just have to find them, is all!"

"Easier said than done, kid," Suezo muttered. Shaking his head, he added in his normal voice, "It's too bad Golem isn't here; we could have done an aerial search then. Oh well…"

"I thought you hated those things," Hare noted, sweatdropping slightly. Serinity looked over at him, then back toward Suezo, blinking her wide green eyes in confusion.

"What are you talking about?" she asked innocently.

"Oh, Golem and I used to have this system worked out," Suezo explained. "If we needed to get a good look around an area, he'd throw me up into the air so I could get a good view of everything. Then he was supposed to catch me when I came back down…it didn't normally work out that way, though…" he added under his breath.

"………Oh, is that all?" Serinity asked, smiling. "Well, we can do that if you want to."

"…Eh? And just how in the heck do you plan for us to do it?" Suezo asked, arching his eyebrow in mild amusement. "You planning to try and throw me up there? Someone, I don't think…"

His voice trailed off as the pixie hybrid walked over and kneeled down beside him. She seized his tail, and he stared down at her in surprise.

"…Uh, what?" he started to ask, then let out a started yelp as Serinity suddenly spread her wings and leapt into the air. Her fingers clenched tightly around his tail, and her wings strained as she pulled herself higher and higher into the sky, hauling the startled and stammering eyeball monster up with her. Upside down, Suezo stared down at the others, who looked back up at them in surprise as they rose far above them.

"Do you see anything yet, Suezo?" Serinity asked, snapping him out of his shock. He quickly began to scan the area, a task made a little more difficult by his current position.

"…I might," he said after a bit, "but I'm not really certain…"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it's kind of hard to concentrate with all the blood rushing to my head…"

"…Oh! I'm so sorry!"

Serinity quickly fumbled around a bit, nearly dropping Suezo in the process, but eventually managed to get him turned around right-side up.

"Is that better?" she inquired, concerned.

"Yeah, lots better," Suezo replied, surveying the area again. A flash of movement somewhere below them caught his attention, and he struggled to turn his head in that direction.

"Hey, check it out. What's happening down there?" he asked. Serinity glanced in the direction he was looking in, and squinted. Unconsciously, she raised one hand to shade her eyes from the sun, keeping a tight grip on Suezo with her other hand. She could just barely make out something moving against the brown-yellow of the rocky bluffs, but she wasn't entirely certain if she was seeing the same thing that he was.

"Is that what you were talking about, over there?" she asked, absently pointing toward it with her other hand, still keeping one arm shading her eyes. When Suezo did not reply right away, she repeated, "Suezo? Can you see…Suezo?"

She happened to glance down at that moment, and immediately realized her mistake. Her already wide green eyes nearly doubled in size as she noticed the empty sky below her, and a huge sweatdrop appeared on the back of her forehead.

"………Oops…"

She swooped back down to the other searchers, who were all gathered around a rather large crater in the dirt that hadn't been there before. Serinity felt her face burn bright red, and she hesitantly hovered a few feet above them, peering into the hole.

"A-are you okay, Suezo?" she stammered.

"Ohhhh yeah, sure I'm fine…after all, I am used to this with Golem," Suezo answered groggily, his eye spiraling around and around.

"…This has happened before?" Coltia asked Holly, sweatdropping along with most of the other searchers.

"Uh huh," Holly confirmed, nodding.

"Different method, same results," Hare added, watching as Serinity attempted to pull Suezo out of the crater, stammering apologies the entire time. Beside him, Scaler seemed to be laughing silently to himself, a sly smirk on his face.

"Here, let me help you with him," Genki offered, and he and Holly helped the pixie hybrid pull Suezo out of the crater. As the eyeball monster lay on the ground trying to regain his senses, the clear-eyed boy looked over at Serinity and added, "Hey, so did you see anything up there?"  


"Oh! …Well, maybe," Serinity told him, causing him and several of the other rebels to give her an odd look.

"Maybe?" Scaler echoed, arching an eyebrow at her. "Either you did or you didn't, it's as simple as that."

"Well, I thought I saw something moving around, but I wasn't entirely certain," Serinity explained, unconsciously looking back down at the dirt below her feet as she spoke.

"Where?" Genki asked eagerly. Serinity blinked at him, then sprang back up into the air again. She glanced around briefly to get her bearings, then pointed towards the area she had seen from above earlier.

"Over in this direction, somewhere," she said, turning to look back down at everyone. Genki immediately ran off in that direction, then stopped short, glancing back at the others.

"What are you all waiting for? Let's get moving!" he shouted, motioning impatiently for the others to follow him. Mocchi bounced up to his friend's side at once, and Coltia quickly joined him, and soon only Serinity had not joined the boy.

"What's wrong?" Genki asked, staring at her. "Aren't you coming?"

"You-you're just going to charge off all of a sudden, just because I might have seen something?" the pixie hybrid stammered. Genki smiled at her and nodded, and she blurted, "B-but what if I was wrong? What if it was just a trick of the light or something?"

"Then at least we know that they aren't there, and we have one less place to look," Hare answered, shrugging nonchalantly, a slight grin on his face. Serinity stared at him, surprised by how unconcerned he seemed.

"B-but…"

"Hey, don't worry about it," Holly reassured her, smiling. "Look, the sooner we get going, the sooner we find out whether or not it was something, right?"

"R-right!" Serinity agreed, and she hastily spread her wings again and sprang into the air, gliding forward. The searchers took off again, heading toward the area they had seen earlier, Coltia dragging Suezo along by the tail. Holly noticed this and sweatdropped.

"I think that Suezo had better wake up soon," she noted, and Hare glanced back and nodded agreement, sweatdropping as he noticed the undignified position that the eyeball monster was in.

"I could try to carry him myself…but considering what happened before, he may not be too thrilled with that idea," Serinity commented, her face flushing red again. "I'm really, really sorry…"

Suezo just moaned in reply, and all of the other searchers save Scaler sweatdropped in unison.

* * *

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to any of the searchers, a pair of narrowed eyes studied them from the cover of the shadows. As the rebels disappeared into the distance, the owner of the deep red eyes blinked them a few times as he struggled to understand what he had just overheard. After a few moments, he turned away, mind still racing with a thousand confused thoughts, knowing only one thing for certain: he had to tell his leader what he had just overheard.

* * *

"Here," Serinity said, sweeping ahead of the others and pointing to the area before them. "I thought I saw something around this area…"

"Are you sure?" Coltia asked, looking around the empty canyon doubtfully. "I don't see anything…"

"No, there was something here, I know it!" Suezo insisted, glaring at the younger human girl. Whirling away, he began to study the area intently, hopping from place to place. Serinity joined him at once, gliding higher into the air to get a better look around. The other rebels looked at one another, then shrugged.

"Well, whatever you say," Scaler said, looking away. Hare grinned and joined the others in searching the area, shaking his head slightly at the older rabbit's indifference to their efforts. Still, he had to acknowledge that perhaps Scaler had a reason for not helping: he didn't expect them to find anything, and as the search wore on, fruitless, he began to think that maybe he was right.

"I know that I saw something earlier," Suezo grumbled, as the searchers stopped to rest for a few moments. "I just know I did…"

"Maybe the sun just got in our eyes and played a trick on us," Serinity sighed, but she didn't sound quite convinced by her own theory.

"No, we saw something, I know it!" Suezo snarled, apparently missing the doubt in her voice, or else mistaking it for doubt in what they had seen before. He glared at her, and the pixie hybrid quickly averted her gaze to the dirt beneath her, her orange bangs falling over her face and masking her embarrassed blush.

"Well, if you did see something, then what was it? Where is it now?" Scaler asked, giving the eyeball monster an inquiring look. His neutral tone made it fairly obvious that he simply did not believe that they had seen anything earlier. As Suezo fixed the green rabbit with a death glare, Hare sighed and glanced away, not wanting to have to watch another quarrel between the two.

__

Were Tiger and I this bad? He wondered silently, shaking his head.

Suddenly he froze, his eyes narrowing slightly as he caught the barest glimpse of something stirring nearby. The movement lasted only a few moments, then died away, but Hare had already gotten to his feet. Slowly, fully aware of the fact that the Phoenix's Tear was becoming warmer as he crept closer to the shadowy grove, he moved forward. The other rebels watched him in interest.

"Hare?" Genki started to ask, standing up. Hare quickly motioned the boy silent, and turned back toward the shadowy grove at once. Realizing what was happening, the others tensed, and Scaler eased one of his blades out from its sheath, keeping it hidden under the folds of his cloak as he braced himself.

Hare glanced back at the others and signaled for them to get ready, then whirled back toward the grove. Crimson flames burst into life around his paws, and without hesitation he launched a small blast toward the shadows.

The fireball had barely entered the shadowy grove before something lunged out of it, directly toward the young rabbit. Hare dropped to the ground in a crouch, and the ebony-furred creature surged right over his head, skidding to a stop a few feet away. It whirled around at once and pounced again, but he had already scampered out of harm's way, and red energy blazed around his paws again as he threw another small fireball at the monster.

"It's a baddie!" Coltia shouted, spotting the medallion hung on the lupine monster's neck first.

"What is it?" Serinity wailed, springing back into the air.

"A Terror Dog!" Scaler informed her, already leaping forward to meet the baddie as he answered the terrified hybrid's question. The dagger he had drawn lanced through the air and buried itself to the hilt in the black wolf's front left paw, nearly taking it off and causing the baddie to let out a horrible shriek. It turned tail and sprinted away, heading deeper into the canyons, and Hare darted after him.

"Hare! Stop!" Scaler shouted, reaching out toward him, but he was too far away to do anything other than watch as the younger rabbit chased after the baddie. Gritting his teeth in anger, the green hare drew another one of his blades and went after them, with the other searchers close behind him.

* * *

"I know I saw that baddie head this direction," Hare muttered as he continued to walk forward, his eyes trained on the road before him. There were splotches of blood on the dirt, betraying which direction that the wounded lupine had gone, and the young rabbit followed them, unaware of the fact that blazing crimson eyes were watching him from the shadows.

Suddenly the Phoenix's Tear flared into bright light at his chest again, blazing again. Recognizing the warning, Hare whirled on his heel in time to see two more black-furred wolves lunging at him from behind. Thinking quickly, he lashed out with his foot and caught the closer one right in the muzzle, kicking it back into the other lupine and sending both flying backward. As they struggled back to their feet, he dropped into a defensive position, his pendant still glowing under his bandanna.

"I kinda figured that baddie wouldn't be alone," he muttered, tense, watching the two black wolves intently as they managed to stand again. They looked toward him and snarled, both curling back their lips to reveal their long white teeth. Hare frowned.

"Well, that's real charming," he commented mildly, rolling his eyes. A fiery crimson aura sprang up around his body, and the two baddies hesitated, flinching backward as the flames reflected in their suddenly widened red eyes.

"What? What's the matter, I thought that you guys wanted to play," Hare teased, grinning slightly. The two black wolves glared at him, growling, but neither made any move to attack him. Hare remained in his defensive position just the same, not wanting to drop his guard, and he continued to watch them closely.

"Well?" he prompted, still smiling a little. He suddenly frowned as he noticed that the eyes of one of the Terror Dogs were no longer trained on him; instead, the baddie appeared to be watching the area directly behind him…

Hare gasped and whirled around, lashing out with one foot and striking the black wolf that had been sneaking up behind him. As it fell backward, the other two lunged at his back, and as the tawny-furred rabbit spun to face them, he caught a quick glimpse of other shadowy forms exploding from their hiding places and moving toward him.

"Uh oh…not good, not good," he muttered under his breath, bracing himself. The ebony-furred wolves came toward him from all sides, and it was all he could do to keep them from swarming over him. The Phoenix's Tear afforded him a little extra protection, flaring up whenever one of the baddies managed to strike him and counterattacking, sending his would-be assailant fleeing with his fur smoking, but there were too many, far too many…

"Don't kill him! Remember, the master wants him alive!" one of the Terror Dogs reminded the others. Hare overheard this through a haze of pain and wondered just who the master was. Moo, with his luck.

Using more of his dwindling energy, Hare caused his fire aura to flare up, forcing all of the baddies to retreat a few precious feet away from him. But they did not flee, instead waiting in a tight circle around his blazing form for the barrier to fade. They knew that he would not be able to keep it this powerful for long, and so did he.

As he forced the last few vestiges of his energy to strengthen the blaze for a few more precious seconds, Hare prayed with all his heart that the other searchers would arrive soon, before the baddies had a chance to take him so far away that they would never be able to find them.

Then he collapsed, the crimson flames fading out of existence as the energy sustaining them was spent. Through dimming vision, Hare saw the Terror Dogs begin to press forward, saw the triumphant leers on their muzzles, and fearful tears began to brim in his blurring brown eyes.

Suddenly, blinding white light tore through the canyon, and Hare heard the wailing howls of the Terror Dogs as it ripped into their bodies. As the blinding flash slowly faded away, he saw several lost discs lying in their place, and those who had survived were running like heck to get away from whatever it was that had claimed the lives of their fellow warriors.

For several moments, the canyon was completely silent. Hare struggled to move but could not; he was still too weakened by his earlier battle. He was barely able to keep his wavering eyes open, and could only lay on the dusty ground, helpless.

A soft padding sound caught his attention, and he shivered as he realized that whoever had attacked the Terror Dogs before was walking toward him. Unable to flee, he could only wait for them to come closer, hoping that they would be friendly.

After a little while, the stranger stepped into view, but Hare's vision was blurring so badly that he could barely see anything. All he could make out was a blur of color against the yellow-brown of the canyon, and as the stranger drew closer, Hare's eyes drifted closed…

* * *

Standing over the young rabbit's crumpled form, the stranger stared down at him and struggled to reason out what he had just witnessed. The confused babbling of the one who had informed him of what was going on echoed in his mind, giving him more questions than it did answers.

A sudden shout behind him caught his attention, and he whirled around to see a small group of humans and monsters running toward him. The one in the front, a young boy wearing strange clothes and with the oddest looking shoes that he had ever seen in his life, spotted him first and skidded to a stop, his clear brown eyes widening with shock. As his companions halted behind him, the boy continued to stare at them, and he tensed for a possible confrontation.

* * *

"I…I don't believe it," Genki stammered, eyes wide as he continued to stare at the one who stood over Hare's unconscious form. Behind him, Holly gasped softly, and Mocchi let out a confused cry, while Suezo just stood there, too shocked to react.

"I-is that…" the eyeball monster began to ask, his voice trailing off before he could finish, his pupil a single dot in his widened eye. None of the other rebels were able to reply for several moments, staring in shock and disbelief at the figure before them.

The figure regarded them coldly, with deep, ice blue eyes that glittered faintly in the sunlight. Silver fur gleamed as a sudden breeze stirred it, unnoticed by its owner. Standing motionless in front of the rebels, the lupine monster looked like a ghost come out of the past, and Genki felt his eyes begin to waver as he stared at the proud figure.

"Grey Wolf!" he exclaimed, and the silver-furred lupine looked directly at him, appearing startled by the use of his name. His light blue eyes widened slightly with shock, and he seemed to be on the verge of replying when Coltia suddenly let out a shriek.

"Grey Wolf?!" she wailed, eyes wide and filling with frightened tears. "He's one of the Big Bad Four! Oh noooo!"

"Wait, no-!" Genki started to protest, but his shout was cut off as he suddenly noticed a glimmer of steel in the green rabbit's hand. As Scaler's hand flashed back, Genki quickly grabbed at his wrist and held it firmly, earning him a cold glare.

"What are you doing?" Scaler hissed, wrenching his arm away from the boy's grasp. "That's one of Moo's generals, and he's got Hare! I'm not going to…"

"No, Grey Wolf isn't a baddie anymore!" Genki insisted, locking his gaze with the scaled rabbit's own.

"How can you be so certain?" Scaler snarled, narrowing his flashing violet-brown eyes at the boy. "Don't be so stupid as to assume…"

"I don't see a crest on him, do you, Suezo?" Holly asked, giving her friend an inquiring glance. Suezo fixed the silver-furred lupine with his intense gaze, studying him for several seconds before hesitantly shaking his head.

"No…but that doesn't mean that he isn't a baddie anymore," he murmured, and Holly shot him a disbelieving glare. Meanwhile, Coltia gave him an odd look.

"You mean he might not be a baddie anymore?" she asked, curious.

"Don't assume that! This could all be a trick!" Scaler shouted.

"No, he's good now, I'm sure of it!" Genki yelled back at him.

"I don't understand…how could somebody be a…baddie…and then not be a baddie anymore?" Serinity inquired, the sound of her soft question lost in the shouting match that was happening between most of the other rebels.

"He's evil! Deal with it!"

"No, he's good, I know it!"

"But he was dead when the Phoenix rose! That should have healed him!"

"Will you trust your life to that? Some monsters are simply born evil!"

"But Grey Wolf is good!"

"He's good, chi!"

"How can you say that for certain, Genki?"

"Don't you start up now, Suezo!"

"…This is confusing," Serinity commented, watching the other searchers argue with a huge sweatdrop on the back of her head. Turning away, she gasped suddenly as she spotted Hare still lying unconscious behind Grey Wolf. She swooped down at once, landing directly in front of the silver-furred lupine, who stared at her and blinked his light blue eyes in surprise that one of the rebels had finally approached him instead of yelling at each other.

"Um, Grey Wolf-sama," she stammered uncertainly, giving him a frightened look for a few moments. Hare moaned faintly, and she shot him a wide-eyed look. Then, as if finding her inner strength all of a sudden, the pixie hybrid stopped trembling and took a deep breath.

"Grey Wolf-sama, please allow me to help my friend!" she said, pleading with him with her wavering green eyes. Taken slightly aback, the silver-furred lupine stared at her, and she continued, "Please…he may be hurt badly, and I want to try and heal him…let me help him, please…"

Grey Wolf just stared at her for a few seconds, a startled expression on his face. The other rebels had overheard Serinity's plea and had stopped fighting for the moment, and all of them were watching the exchange in shock and horror. Scaler ground his teeth silently, fingering the edge of one of his knives, just in case. Genki noticed this and kept a wary eye on him, not wanting anything to go wrong.

Suddenly Grey Wolf smirked, and as the searchers gaped at him, he stepped away.

"Then help him," he said, smiling slightly. Serinity gave him a thankful look, her bright green eyes shining, and she quickly knelt beside Hare's motionless body. A green nimbus formed around her hands, and she closed her eyes in concentration. As the magical aura spread over the young rabbit's body, sealing his wounds, he groaned faintly again.

"Se…Serinity?" he murmured, slowly opening his wavering brown eyes. Seeing that he was awake, the pixie hybrid let out a sigh of relief, and glanced back over her shoulder at the other searchers. Genki and Scaler ran up beside her, and the scaled hare pulled the younger rabbit into his protective grasp, keeping one wary eye trained on Grey Wolf.

"Thanks a lot, Grey Wolf," Genki said with a grin, turning toward the silver-furred lupine and nodding at him. The wolf gave him a strange look in return, his blue eyes blank with confusion.

"How do you know my name?" he inquired, staring at the human boy. "I've never seen you before in my life."

"Huh?" Genki replied, sweatdropping.

"You mean that Tiger never told you about us?" Holly asked as she and the others approached. Grey Wolf gasped and whirled on them, eyes wide.

"Tiger? You know my brother?" he exclaimed, shocked, staring at all of them. Genki, Mocchi, Holly and Suezo stared back at him, not knowing what to think. Serinity and Coltia glanced at one another, confused.

"You mean he never told you about them?" Coltia asked, giving the silver wolf a disbelieving glance. Grey Wolf looked over at her and shook his head.

"How could he? I haven't seen my elder brother since we fought Moo, almost two years ago!"

"What?" Genki exclaimed, stunned. Beside him, Holly's face had slowly gone completely pale, and the girl shook her head slightly.

"No…oh no," she whispered, shuddering with fear. Her fingers strayed up to the Magic Stone hanging around her neck, and she gripped it gently as her eyes wavered with fear.

"Look, as much as I'd love to sit around and listen to you guys work out your little problems, it's not exactly safe for us to stand around and chat," Scaler pointed out, standing up. Hare was cradled gently in his arms, and he looked directly at Grey Wolf as he added, "We need a safe place to stay while he recovers. Do you know of anyplace?"

"Follow me," Grey Wolf replied, turning away. "I'll lead you to our new den; it's not too far from here, and you'll be safe from any enemies there. Plus, we should talk…"

"Yes…" Holly agreed, nodding, and she and Genki exchanged a knowing glance. The clear-eyed boy stood first and walked after the silver-furred lupine, and Mocchi bounced up beside him, gripping his hand for comfort. The searchers followed Grey Wolf as he led them through the cliffs, following a path only he knew, each lost in their own thoughts.

* * *

__

"Genki? Holly? Anyone?"

There was no answer, only the wind that howled around the young rabbit as he stood alone in the void, ruffling his short tawny fur. Shuddering, Hare wrapped his arms over his chest, noticing as he did that the Phoenix's Tear was glowing faintly. However, even its warmth against his chest did not seem to keep back the cold chills that ran through his body, and he shivered again, frightened.

* Why am I so cold…? It hurts…I feel like I can barely breathe… * 

* This wind's so cold…it bites straight to the heart… *

Suddenly the wind picked up speed, becoming a gale, and Hare cried out in shock as it tore through his small frame, chilling him to the bone. It grew in force, tugging at him, and suddenly he was swept off his feet, screaming as he was spun around and around by the freezing tornado.

Then he stopped short, as if flung into an invisible wall, and he gasped softly as a sharp pain blossomed in his chest. It felt almost as if somebody had run him through with a blade, a long, jagged blade that pierced his heart and froze his body like ice.

For several moments, all he could see was the void. Something crimson and sticky soaked his fur, dripping into his eyes, and Hare recognized it as blood. Strangely, though, he could not feel any wounds on his body, just an overwhelming cold sensation that numbed him almost beyond the point of feeling pain.

A blue shadow appeared before him, and Hare gazed up at the vaguely lupine form with blurring brown eyes.

"Tiger…" he breathed, recognizing the blue wolf despite his blurring vision. "He-help me…"

Tiger did not reply, his cold golden eyes glaring down at the small rabbit's crumpled body. His lips were pulled back in a snarl, revealing his long, jagged white fangs, which suddenly began to lengthen as his eyes burned blood-red. Black energy surged through the lupine's form, transforming him into a faceless demon, and lightning crackled around the warped remains of the blue wolf's horns as he continued to glare down at Hare's helpless body.

"Tiger…" Hare breathed, frightened tears streaking the side of his face, washing away some of the blood. The demon-wolf just snarled in reply, and melted into the darkness, until all he could see was its furiously burning crimson eyes and the dark-tinted lightning that crackled above them…

* * *

Hare screamed, his eyes shooting open, and the tiny rabbit sat bolt upright, nearly knocking a startled Serinity over. The young pixie hybrid stared at him in surprise, bright green eyes going wide, then filling with concern as she glimpsed the raw terror on his face.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Scaler demanded, racing in from directly outside the small cave. Hare looked at them blankly for a moment, frightened tears running down his cheeks, then slowly realized where he was. He closed his wavering brown eyes and took a few deep breaths in a near futile attempt to calm himself down.

"It was…a dream," he murmured, relieved.

"What was?" Serinity asked, looking at him in concern. Hare just shuddered, unable to answer her right away, and the pixie hybrid's eyes softened as she watched him. Kneeling next to him, she slowly began to stroke his back, smoothing down his ruffled fur as she crooned reassurance. Scaler stood in the doorway and watched her, eyes narrowed, fully aware of the fact that the other searchers had arrived and were gathered behind him, trying to peer into the room.

"What's going on?" Genki asked, and Scaler glanced back at him.

"He apparently had a nightmare," Scaler replied, shaking his head as he looked back at the younger rabbit, his dark violet-brown eyes shining with concern. Genki nodded knowingly and looked back at the others, concerned.

"Maybe we should leave them for a while," Holly said, gently pulling him away from the door. "He might need time to recover…"

"Recover from what?" Grey Wolf asked, walking up behind them. Genki, Holly and Suezo sweatdropped, while Coltia and Mocchi just looked at the silver wolf in surprise.

"I'll explain if you want," Holly said, guiding the lupine monster away from the door. The other rebels followed, leaving Scaler guarding the door. They walked past several lupine hybrids that had been attracted by the commotion, and Coltia sweatdropped as she noticed how many had come to see what was going on.

"All right, break it up, nothing to see here," Suezo said, shooing them away. Several of the wolves walked away, but a few remained and growled at him. Grey Wolf shook his head and signaled that they should leave, and the stragglers grudgingly departed. One of them, however, paused and looked back at the silver wolf.

"Is everything okay, Grey Wolf?" she asked, her soft blue eyes filling with concern. Grey Wolf nodded shortly, then sighed as she walked around a corner of the cave and disappeared from view.

"I say that, but…to be honest, I'm not really sure about that," he commented, then he looked back over at the rebels with shimmering light blue eyes. "I can't believe that you know my brother…! I had thought that Moo killed him during the fight. I thought he had killed everyone…"

"No, he didn't," Genki repeated, a slight grin coming to his face. "Tiger survived the battle, Grey Wolf; a lot of them did. Moo didn't manage to kill all of them…"

"That part came later," Suezo muttered under his breath, then grunted as he received a sharp elbow in his side from Holly. Mocchi and Genki sweatdropped while Coltia just glared at the eyeball monster. Thankfully, Grey Wolf apparently did not overhear his little comment.

"My big brother…is alive," Grey Wolf whispered, shaking his head slowly.

"Well, that's what we hope, but…"

Another well-timed jab in the side, this time from Genki, silenced the eyeball monster again, but this time Grey Wolf had overheard him. The silver-furred lupine looked back at them, alarm in his wide blue eyes, and the other searchers sweatdropped as they stared back at him.

"Hey, don't let what Suezo said get to you," Genki said, smiling nervously. "He just worries too much…"

"Yeah, he's a real whiner," Coltia chimed in. Suezo opened his mouth to protest, and the sweatdropping girl grabbed his lips and held them shut. Startled, he struggled to free his mouth from her stubborn grasp, while the others struggled to ignore both of them.

"Tiger is a survivor," Holly said, looking directly at Grey Wolf and smiling. "I'm certain that he's okay."

"Are you sure?" Grey Wolf asked, gazing intently at her. She felt her face flush slightly, and wondered if he could sense that she didn't believe in what she had just claimed as much as she would have liked to.

"Holly's right; he'll be fine!" Genki said, beaming. "Besides, that's what we're looking for him for: to make certain that Moo can't get his dirty mitts on him! We'll find him safe and sound, I'm sure of it!"  


"Yeah!" Coltia said, grinning.

"Chi!" Mocchi added, bouncing up and down in place. "Tiger is strong, chi! Moo never hurt Tiger!"

"Hmmm…" Grey Wolf looked at all of them, his light blue eyes becoming thoughtful. Genki saw the expression on his face, and the boy's grin grew wider.

"Hey, why not come along with us, Grey Wolf?" he asked, beaming, and the silver-furred lupine blinked in surprise.

"Genki?" Holly inquired, giving the boy a startled look. Coltia gasped as well, and released her iron grip on Suezo's mouth. The eyeball monster gasped for air and fixed the younger girl with a dark glare, which she ignored.

"You want to find your brother again, right?" Genki prompted, grinning over at Grey Wolf. "Then join up with us! That's what Tiger did when he wanted to find you…and Serinity's coming along so she can find Golem. So why don't you come along too?"

"But my pack…" Grey Wolf whispered, then shook his head. "No, I can't leave them alone here, not if Moo's come back to life."

"But…" Genki started to say, stepping forward, but Grey Wolf silenced him with a look.

"Sorry, but I can't just leave them alone. You have to understand that," Grey Wolf said, turning away. Scaler walked up behind the other rebels, Serinity and Hare behind him, and he gave the silver wolf an odd look.

"What's going on?" Hare asked, and the others looked back at the three new arrivals.

"Genki wants Grey Wolf to come along, but he said no," Coltia explained. She glanced back toward the lupine monster and whispered, "But I think he does want to come…he just can't because of his pack…"

"Oh…" Hare nodded solemnly, and looked after the departing silver wolf as well. Serinity gripped his shoulders slightly, her bright green eyes wavering as she glimpsed the sorrowful expression on Grey Wolf's face.

"If you want to go with them, then you should go."

"Huh?"

Grey Wolf turned around, and the searchers followed his gaze. A female Daton was standing nearby, in one of the other corridors of the cave, and several other lupine hybrids were standing behind her. Seeing them, the silver wolf's eyes widened slightly with surprise.

"Everyone…when did you…" he started to ask.

"Look, if you want to go with them to find Tiger of the Wind, then I think you should go," the female Daton replied, and the wolves behind her voiced their agreement. "Tiger is as much a part of the pack as everyone else here, and you've always told us that we never abandon each other…"

"But…what if you need me here? If Moo attacks…"

  
"Then we'll fight him off," a Datonare replied, a slight grin on his muzzle. "Really, Grey, you should know better than anyone else just how strong we can be."

"Go find your brother, Grey Wolf," another Daton added, nodding toward the silver wolf.

"We'll take care of everything here! You concentrate on bringing old Tiger back to us!"

"Yeah, go find him!"

"You go on ahead, Grey Wolf. And if you happen to meet Moo, give him a shock in his…"

"Look, just get going, okay? You know you want to go, and we want you to go, too. You'll find Tiger, I'm sure of it!"

"Everyone…" Grey Wolf breathed, his light blue eyes wavering as he regarded his pack. The searchers watched the unfolding scene and smiled, and Serinity sighed softly as the sight brought back memories of her own farewell to her friends and home. After a moment, Grey Wolf smiled and nodded.

"Fine then," he said, looking at his gathered pack mates. "I will find Tiger and bring him back, I promise. The rest of you be sure to watch yourselves until I return."  
  
The other wolves nodded agreement, and then one of them threw back her head and began to howl. The others quickly picked up the sound, and Grey Wolf added his own voice to it after a moment. The howl echoed through the canyons for several minutes, not fading away until some time after they had ceased.

Grey Wolf turned away, and the other searchers followed after the silver-furred lupine as he slowly walked out of the cave complex. The other wolves watched him leave, their eyes solemn as the group disappeared from their sight.

As they continued on, Serinity flitted up to Grey Wolf's side. Looking down at him, she noticed the expression on his face, and a look of understanding came over her. Landing, she walked alongside the lupine monster.

"That was kind of hard, wasn't it?" she whispered softly, and the silver wolf glanced up at her in surprise. After a few seconds, he looked away and nodded, and Serinity smiled slightly.

"I know what it feels like, too," she said, shaking her head. "But you don't have to worry. I know that they're be all right, and that everything will turn out okay. We'll find our friends, and when we return, everything will be just as we left it."

"You believe that?" Grey Wolf asked, glancing back up at her. Serinity just nodded, smiling.

"I have to," she whispered, her bright green eyes shining as she looked away. Grey Wolf watched her for a moment more, then nodded. A slight grin spread over his muzzle.

"Well, then, it must be true," he said, smiling back up at her. "Let's work to make certain that it becomes a reality, hmm?"

"Yeah…" and Serinity nodded back at him, smiling brightly. The two continued to walk alongside one another, as the other searchers followed along behind them, heading out of the canyon and toward the uncertain future.


	6. Tournament The Battle Revisited

* * * Episode Six: Tournament – The Battle Revisited * * *

"Now here's a familiar sight," Suezo commented, gazing at the town before them with a knowing grin on his face. Leaning over, he nudged Hare gently with his tail and asked, in a not-so-secretive whisper, "Hey, Hare, remember when…?"

"Oh, lay off it, Suezo," Hare interrupted him before he could finish his question, and irritably shoved the eyeball monster away. The tawny-furred rabbit's face was bright red, and the other searchers gave him an odd look. After a moment, Genki, Holly and Mocchi caught on and looked away, but Serinity, Coltia, Scaler and Grey Wolf still appeared to be confused.

"What was that all about?" Coltia asked, blinking her wide tan eyes and staring at the others. Serinity just shrugged her shoulders, as did Scaler, and the green rabbit gave Suezo a warning look.

"It's just because the last time we visited this town, Tiger entered a tournament and we met Hare when he…" Genki's voice suddenly trailed off when he noticed that everyone was giving him a very odd look. Grey Wolf looked especially interested in what the boy was saying.

"Wait, wait, wait, you mean to tell me that my big brother actually entered a tournament? How did he do?" he asked innocently.

"Um…well…" Genki coughed and quickly looked away, causing the silver-furred wolf to give him a curious look.

"Well?" he asked, cocking his head to one side.

"Uhhh…you know, I think Suezo had a much better view of everything! Why don't you ask him if he remembers?" Genki asked suddenly, turning toward the eyeball monster and laughing nervously. Suezo's eye nearly doubled in size while his pupil dilated, and a huge sweatdrop appeared on the back of his head.

"Uhhh…Genki, I'm going to kill you," he muttered under his breath, and Genki's nervous grin grew wider as he turned away. Coltia and Serinity blinked in unison, watching what was happening with blank expressions on their faces.

"So?" Grey Wolf prompted, looking over at Suezo.

"Soooo…uhhh…welllll…" Suezo replied, eye darting from side to side as he searched vainly for some escape. After a moment, Hare sighed and shook his head.

"It's okay, Suezo. I'll tell him."

As Suezo collapsed to the ground, his breath coming out with a huge whoosh of air, Hare turned to face Grey Wolf and rubbed the back of his head slightly, sweatdropping.

"You see, the thing is, Tiger did great in the tournament, but…"

"But what?" Grey Wolf asked innocently, blinking his blue eyes a few times as he looked at the sweatdropping rabbit.

"Well, I…" Hare's voice dropped to a whisper, and he spoke very rapidly as he blurted, "I kinda tricked him in the final round and knocked him out."

Grey Wolf just stared at him, blue eyes wide, and an awkward silence fell over the gathered searchers. Hare kept his eyes trained on the ground, not wanting to see the outrage he was certain the silver-furred wolf would explode into at any moment. Then, suddenly, he heard a strange sound that he definitely hadn't been expecting, and looked up in shock.

Grey Wolf was laughing. Quite hard, truth be told. As the other searchers gaped at him, the lupine monster struggled to get control of himself, his shoulders shaking violently as he continued to laugh.

"I-I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he managed to get out after a moment, grinning hugely up at the others, "but that…Tiger always told me, 'Never underestimate your opponent, no matter what,' and he…he…"

He broke into laughter again, and all of the other searchers sweatdropped in unison. After a few moments, Genki started to snicker to himself as well, and Holly gave him an odd look.

"Of all the reactions I had expected, that wasn't one of them," Hare whispered, shaking his head in disbelief and relief.

"No kidding," Suezo agreed, smiling nervously. Grey Wolf regained control of himself after a minute, and the silver wolf looked at them expectantly.

"Well, what do we do next?" he inquired, and all eyes turned to the five original searchers. Genki, Holly, Suezo, Mocchi and Hare glanced at one another, then bowed their heads in thought.

"…Well, I guess we just head straight through the town," Genki said after thinking for a moment. "Let's get going."

"Genki, wait," Hare said suddenly, holding one paw up to stop the boy. Genki looked back at the young rabbit curiously, and Hare continued, "I think that we should consider looking into something else first."

"Oh? What's that?" Holly asked, as all of the rebels turned their gazes toward Hare.

"Well, we need to figure out how we're going to finance this trip," Hare replied, and he nodded to himself as he added, "After all, even without Golem and Tiger with us, we still have a pretty large group right now. Between the five of us, plus Colt, Scaler, Serinity and Grey Wolf…we've got a lot of people and monsters to support. We have to think about how we're going to pay to support all of us."

"You're right," Holly said, nodding in agreement. Beside her, Suezo groaned and rolled his eye.

"How did I know that he was going to say something about money?" he muttered under his breath. Scaler overheard the comment and gave the eyeball monster a cold look.

"Okay, so how do we go about getting money?" Coltia inquired, looking around at everyone.

"We could just take whatever we needed…" Grey Wolf's voice trailed off as he noticed the strange look the others were giving him, and he coughed and amended, "Or maybe not…"

"Maybe we could see if there are any job openings in town," Coltia suggested. The others considered this for a moment, then Holly sighed and shook her head.

"I don't think that would work," she told the younger girl. "We have to keep moving from town to town, and we couldn't stay in any one place long enough to get a good-paying job. It'd have to be a one-time deal each time…"

"Hmm…" Coltia bowed her head in thought again, frowning.

"Actually, I think the answer is in what Hare and Grey Wolf were talking about earlier," Scaler suddenly spoke up. The other rebels turned to look at him in surprise, and the scaled hare smirked as he said, "I passed through this town on my way here, and they've been holding a lot of tournaments lately. Perhaps I could simply register in one and earn one of the cash prizes."

"That's a great idea, Scaler!" Hare exclaimed, smiling at the older rabbit. The other searchers mostly appeared to agree, but Serinity looked confused.

"What is a tournament?" she leaned over and whispered to Holly. The human girl gave her a surprised look, then nodded in sudden understanding.

"A tournament is when monsters fight one another to see who is the strongest," she explained. Serinity gasped, staring at her in disbelief.

"But why would anyone want to fight?" she asked, startled by the concept. Holly just shook her head, unable to explain it to the startled pixie hybrid. Serinity stared at her for a moment, then turned away, her eyes wavering.

"So it's settled then," Scaler said, turning away from the others and heading toward the town. "I'll go ahead and get registered then; I'll meet you in town later."

"Hey, don't just walk off like that," Grey Wolf said, heading after him. The green rabbit glanced back at him, and the silver-furred lupine grinned as he added, "After all, I'm planning on entering too."

"What?" Genki, Holly, Coltia, Hare, Mocchi, Serinity and Suezo exclaimed in unison. Scaler simply regarded the wolf monster and arched one eyebrow slightly, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Why is that?" he asked, his tone neutral.

"Simple logic," Grey Wolf replied, turning back toward the others as he explained, "If two of us enter instead of just one, then we're likely to earn more gold, and won't have to worry about it for a longer period of time. Besides, I wouldn't mind testing my skills…"

"…Suit yourself," Scaler commented, turning away again and continuing down the path towards the town. Grey Wolf loped after him, and the other searchers looked at one another in surprise.

"…Wasn't expecting that, either," Hare commented after a moment, sweatdropping along with the others.

"Well, at least they're willing to help out," Holly commented, smiling nervously. Coltia and Suezo laughed at that, but Serinity did not look as amused by the idea.

"I just don't understand why anyone would want to fight," she said, frowning slightly.

"You don't have to understand it," Coltia replied, turning to smile over at her. "There's a lot of stuff that doesn't make sense to me, but you don't hear me complaining about it…"

"…At the moment," Suezo amended under his breath. If Coltia overheard this remark, she ignored it, and she ran a little ways ahead of the others before turning around to glance back at them.

"Are you guys coming or what?" she asked, beaming. "We'd better get moving if we want to get some decent food at the restaurant!"

"You're on!" Genki shouted, darting after her. As they raced toward town, the other searchers followed more sedately, Serinity trailing behind with a confused look on her face.

"What is a restaurant?" she inquired, looking over at Holly. Suezo just sighed and sweatdropped.

* * *

"I do not understand what exactly your problem is," Scaler said patiently, his violet-brown eyes narrowing slightly as he regarded the nervous human before him. "I am registering for your free-for-all tournament. Do not the rules clearly state that any monster who so wishes may enter?"

"W-well…y-yes, b-but," the sweatdropping man replied, trembling badly as he eyed the wide blade that the scaled hare had placed on the counter between them. Scaler studied him with a faint glint of amusement in his eyes, although his face remained neutral and composed.

"There is nothing in the rules that states that participants may not use weapons," he pointed out mildly, and a slight grin tugged at one corner of his mouth as he added, "Besides, I only wish to use only one of my blades. To use any more would be unfair to my opponents…one will be more than sufficient for this, I think."

"O-only…o-one?" the official inquired weakly. In response, Scaler flicked one fold of his heavy leather cloak back over his shoulder, and the man goggled as he caught a quick glimpse of several sharp knives and daggers glittering in their sheaths.

"…So? Are you going to approve my entry or not?" Scaler prompted after a moment, giving the human a sideways glance.

"………" The man did not reply, but suddenly scribbled furiously on a pad of paper sitting on the desk before him. After a moment, he passed Scaler a small card on which was written his approval for entry. The green rabbit studied it, and a smile flickered on his lips for a second.

"Thank you," he said simply, rising and motioning for the next applicant to take his place. Behind the counter, the registrar closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh of relief, praying that not all of the monsters entering would be like this.

Then he opened his eyes and sweatdropped as he discovered a pair of ice blue ones gazing up at him.

"G-G-G-Gr-Gr-Grey Wolf?!?" he stammered after standing in shocked silence for a while.

"Yes?" the silver-furred lupine answered, looking back up at the man with his pale blue gaze.

"………"

__

THUD.

Grey Wolf blinked in surprise as the official suddenly disappeared from his view. Placing his front paws on the desk, he pulled himself up for a better view. For a second, he simply regarded the unconscious form sprawled on the floor behind the desk with some interest and more than a little surprise.

"Huh. I wonder what's wrong with the poor man," he commented, glancing back over at Scaler, who was leaning against the doorframe. The green rabbit just shrugged under his cloak, the folds shifted with the movement.

"Perhaps he does not get enough fresh air," he replied, smirking ever so slightly as he gazed back at the silver wolf. Grey Wolf nodded agreement and glanced back down at the man's twitching body, a curious expression on his muzzle.

* * *

"We're in," Scaler informed the others simply when he and Grey Wolf located them some time later. The other rebels had already discovered a promising-looking restaurant deep in the heart of the village, and once the two fighters had arrived, they entered and found a large table for everyone to sit at. As they took their places around it, Suezo immediately seated himself between Genki and Holly, a move that she could not help but think was done deliberately. She was even surer of this when the eyeball monster grinned over at Genki and pulled on his eyelid for a moment with his tail, sticking out his tongue at the boy.

"Suezo…" Genki growled, one eyebrow twitching with annoyance. Coltia quickly latched onto his arm and calmed him down. She seated herself between the eyeball monster and him; a move that she hoped would prevent the two from fighting with one another. Plus, it didn't exactly bother her that she ended up sitting next to Genki…

"So you're really going to go through with this?" Serinity asked, giving Grey Wolf and Scaler a curious look from her seat on Holly's other side. Both monsters nodded in reply, and the green rabbit turned a quick glance toward Hare as a smile flickered on his face for a moment.

"Yes," he replied, his violet-brown eyes glittering slightly as he added, "Not only will this earn some money for our journey, but it will be a good test of our skills."

"Yeah, it should be great!" Grey Wolf agreed, smiling over at the pixie hybrid. "By fighting in a setting like this, I can get a good feel for where I'm at right now, skill-wise."

"I wouldn't think that you needed to test your skills," Hare commented, looking at the silver wolf curiously. "I mean, you were a…"

He suddenly broke off what he was saying in mid-sentence and looked away. The other searchers paused and stared over at him in surprise, wondering what he had been about to say and had so suddenly decided against. After a moment, Grey Wolf appeared to catch on, and a warm smile spread over his muzzle.

"Yes, I know I was a bandit when I was younger, but that part of my life has long come and gone," he replied with a knowing glint in his pale blue eyes. Hare smiled nervously to himself; that had not been what he was about to blurt out before, and he had a feeling that the silver wolf knew that as well. He was simply giving him a quick way out of the situation, and he took it in silence, thanking the wolf with a single, grateful glance.

"A bandit? What is a bandit?" Serinity asked, blinking her bright green eyes in confusion.

"I'll explain to you later, Serinity," Holly replied, sweatdropping slightly.

The waiter arrived with their food at that moment, and all further conversation on any topic was temporarily halted as the searchers quickly began to eat. Like her other four old friends, Holly attempted to enjoy her meal as much as possible, keeping the knowledge that this very well could end up being the last meal she shared with everyone pushed into the back of her mind. That was hardly a pleasant idea at any time, so she preferred to keep it out of her thoughts as much as possible.

She noticed that Grey Wolf seemed to be taking particular delight in his food, and was lapping up quite a bit of wine from a special saucer set out for him as well. She sweatdropped, but then reminded herself that he was, after all, used to hunting for his meal. She wondered idly for a moment just how many times he had gone without food for the lack of decent prey, or given up his portion in favor of another pack member. Then she quickly pushed this out of her mind as well, feeling guilty for some reason she could not quite name.

Serinity, she noticed, was not eating as much as the others. She remembered vaguely one of her old lessons about monsters, back from when she was a child in her old village. If she recalled them correctly, Pixie/Plant hybrids like Serinity did not need to eat in order to survive, thanks to their photosynthesis ability. However, they were also supposed to love to eat, apparently enjoying the sensation. However, Serinity was barely touching her meal, and was more interested in talking with Mocchi and Hare. Either the old lessons did not apply to her, or else she was not eating for some other reason; perhaps her private confusion and dislike about what Grey Wolf and Scaler were doing?

Coltia, Genki, Suezo and Mocchi did not have with the same problem that the half-pixie was having, at any rate: they were digging into their food almost frightening speed, taking as much as they could into their mouths at once before swallowing. Holly sweatdropped, remembering a comment that Hare had once made about Genki's intense energy having to come from somewhere…that didn't necessarily explain why Suezo was eating so much so fast, however…

Actually, now that she came to think of it, Hare seemed to be eating even less than Serinity was. Instead, the tawny-furred rabbit was watching Scaler and Grey Wolf intently, as if struck by how different the two entrants were acting. The calm way in which the green rabbit sipped his own drink and ate his meal was a stark contrast with the eager way that the silver wolf gobbled down his own food. As Hare watched them, a strange, distant look came into his wavering brown eyes, and Holly could only guess at what he was thinking about.

Then, suddenly, Hare appeared to jerk out of his trance and notice that she was staring at him. A slight blush tinged his cheeks for a moment, and then he quickly began to eat his meal with exaggerated motion, as if trying to convince her that nothing was the matter with him. Not knowing what else she could do, Holly turned her attention back to finishing her own meal, at the same time making a mental note to try and talk to the young bunny some time soon to see what was bothering him.

* * *

__

Flash. Dodge. Parry. Slash.

Everything was a whirl of color and shadow, making it impossible for one to see exactly what was happening at any precise moment. Images blurred together, move blended with countermove, until they became conjoined, convoluted, twisted. Silver and blue crashed against green and tan, with flashes of glimmering steel and sparking lightning bursting into existence and fading away just as quickly.

Evade. Attack.

Spurts of red against the black shadows, tainting the other colors, soaking them, overpowering them. Crimson eyes suddenly flaring into existence, narrowing with cruel glee as horrible laughter echoed over the sounds of battle.

A sudden flash of bright, blinding light.

Then darkness.

Silence.

A pair of motionless bodies glimpsed through the all-concealing shadows, too battered and covered in blood to be living. Silver and green, both overwhelmed by a single shade of deep, terrifying red.

* * *

Hare snapped his wavering brown eyes open quickly, forcing himself awake before he could get a closer look at exactly who the two bodies in his nightmare were. At least, he thought as he quickly buried his face in his paws, he hoped that he had yanked himself out of the vision. He hated to think that maybe he had not been meant to see their identities, that he did not truly have any control over his visions at all.

Out of all of the things that he feared in life, one of the worst was not having any control over himself or anything having to do with him. He remembered all too well when Naga had captured him and treated him like a slave, acting as though he was a worthless little whelp with no real value in the world other than doing exactly what the reptilian pleased. It frightened him to think that even without Naga around, lording over him, that he still had little command over how he lived his life.

Plus, what he had glimpsed in his nightmare was so horrifying to him that he wanted to believe that it was just that: a nightmare. Not a vision, and certainly not a possible warning of the future…

He fought back his tears, stubbornly, not wanting to awaken any of his friends. Rolling over in his bed, he buried his face in his pillow in a futile attempt to keep the frightened tears from coming. They still forced their way out of his unwilling eyes, but at least the pliant fabric muffled the sound of his sobbing as he cried himself back to sleep.

* * *

A flourish of trumpets pierced the morning air, rising above the excited shouts and cheers of the jubilant crowd. As humans and monsters alike filed into their places, taking their seats, Scaler and Grey Wolf nodded their farewells to the other rebels.

"Good luck, both of you," Holly said, smiling warmly at the two participants. Beside her, Serinity nodded reluctant agreement, her soft green eyes wavering slightly. The pixie hybrid obviously still had mixed feelings about what was going on, but she was sincere in her desire to see them at least do well in what they had chosen to do.

"Be careful," she quietly told them, and received a pair of knowing smiles in return. She glanced away nervously, and her gaze happened to rest on Hare. The concern in her eyes grew as she noticed the strange, haunted expression on the tawny-furred rabbit's face. She opened her mouth to ask him what was troubling him, but was drowned out by Genki and Coltia's cheering.

"You guys will do great! I just know it!" Coltia trilled, beaming.

"Yeah, you'll win this, no problem!" Genki added, a confident grin on his face.

"Chi!" Mocchi laughed his agreement, not noticing the cynical look Suezo had on his face.

"Well, I'm certain that one of them will win," the eyeball monster muttered under his breath. "The question that I'd like to know the answer to is, which one?"

He thought his query went unheard, which was what he had intended. He failed to notice that Hare's face blanched white for a fleeting instant following his words.

"Well, good luck to both of you," Genki said, reaching out to shake hands with Scaler. The green rabbit ignored the offered palm and instead turned away, striding toward the registration office, muttering something about needing to get going. Noticing the slightly embarrassed expression on the boy's face, Grey Wolf grinned reassuringly and brushed his tail up against his hand for a moment.

"We won't need it, but thanks anyway," the silver wolf told him, then turned and disappeared into the crowd after the scaled hare. Genki shook his head slightly after a moment and turned a grin on the others.

"Let's get to our seats," he said, darting over to the part of the stands reserved for close friends of the participants.

"Yeah, I don't want to miss this!" Coltia exclaimed, bolting after him.

* * *

"Are you Scaler?" the clerk at the check-in booth inquired. When the green rabbit nodded, she made a few quick marks on her sheet and told him, "According to what is stated here, you are allowed to take one weapon with you into the arena. All others must stay here at the checkout station."

"As I wished it," Scaler commented. "All right then…"

He shrugged off his cloak, and quickly stripped off all of his daggers and knives, laying blade after blade in a rapidly growing stack on the astonished woman's desk. As the other people and monsters in the room stared at the pile of weapons, he continued to nonchalantly add more of his blades to it. Finally, all he had left with him was a single, long-bladed sword, which he kept buckled securely in its sheath. Taking up his cloak again, he reversed it once to prove that he only had the single sword on him now, and then tossed its heavy leather folds back over his shoulder.

"There," he said, a sly smirk tugging at the edge of his mouth again as he turned his dark violet-brown eyes back toward the silent, wide-eyed clerk, "Is that quite satisfactory?"

"Q-quite," she agreed hesitantly, absently motioning for him to proceed into the waiting area where all the participants stayed between battles. She felt more than a little faint, and continued to gape at the now quite impressive pile of weapons that dominated one-third of her desk.

"Why is it that these tournaments always seem to attract the really scary monsters?" she wondered under her breath once Scaler had left the room. "As if it wasn't bad enough that Tiger of the Wind entered that one time…"

"Hey, what was that about my big brother?" the next participant in line growled, glaring up at her with flashing ice blue eyes. She stared back down at the silver-furred lupine for several seconds, unable to answer, and he barked, "Well?!?"

"………"

__

THUD.

"Dang, not another one…"

* * *

"The tournament's starting, the tournament's starting!" Coltia cheering, fairly bouncing up and down in her seat as the other searchers stared at her and sweatdropped.

"Jeez, Colt, you act like you've never seen a tournament before," Suezo commented mildly. She froze in mid-bounce and turned a cold glare toward him, caramel eyes flashing.

"What's wrong with that?!" she demanded, and Suezo's sweatdrop got even bigger.

"Oh, nothing, nothing at all," he amended lamely, and Coltia looked away with a short "Humph!"

"I still feel rather uncomfortable about this," Serinity admitted to Holly, shaking her head. Holly gave the half-pixie a sympathetic smile and nodded.

"I understand that," she told her, adding, "If you want to leave at any time, nobody will try to stop…"

"No, I'm staying," Serinity interrupted; then, not wanted to seem rude, she explained, "If anyone gets hurt, then they may need me here to help heal them. I can't just turn my back on something like that."

"R-Right," Hare piped up, nodding agreement. "And I can help too, if anything happens…"

__

Let's hope nothing happens, he added silently to himself. He was jolted out of his dark thoughts by a sudden tug on his wrist, and Mocchi pointed excitedly as he directed the bunny's attention to who was entering the arena at that moment.

"Look, it's Grey Wolf, chi!" he announced, delighted.

Hare smiled and nodded, and silently noted with an amused smile that the official announcer did not appear to be as pleased as his young friend was by this. The human took a long, disbelieving look at his cue card, then gaped at the silver-furred lupine as he strode into view. Ignoring the suddenly subdued buzz of the crowd, Grey Wolf simply assumed a ready stance, his pale blue eyes twinkling as they raked his opponent.

The other monster in the ring was a very startled-looking Red Eye, who gaped at the wolf as if he were a ghost or something. Hare frowned in thought for a second: he thought that he could just vaguely remember that monster from somewhere…then he grinned slyly as he remembered. This monster had been Tiger's first opponent in the tournament as well.

__

Apparently, this poor Red Eye really has some rotten luck, he mused as the bell rung to signal the start of the battle. As he had expected, the fight had barely begun before it was over again: one well-timed swipe from Grey Wolf's claws sent the unfortunate eyeball monster flying back into his trainer.

"I win," Grey Wolf noted with a slight grin on his muzzle as he turned away, clearing the ring for the next fight. Genki cocked his head to one side, suddenly looking a little confused.

"I could have sworn I've seen something like this before," he murmured, crinkling his nose in frustration as he thought for a second. Then he shrugged it off and turned his attention back to the ring: Scaler had just walked in, and the boy fought back a gulp as he spotted the green rabbit's opponent.

"Uh-oh," he whispered under his breath as he gaped at the monster that was slithering into the ring. He stole a quick glance over at Hare; as he had expected, the young rabbit's face had gone completely pale.

"Wh-wh-wh…what's he doing here?" the bunny stammered, giving Genki a horrified look. Genki shook his head in confusion and warning, and leaned over to the now badly trembling young monster.

"I don't know, but he doesn't have a crest that I can see," he whispered in the rabbit's ear. "Maybe that's a different Aqua Cutter?"

Hare did not reply; he simply continued to stare at the Naga/Jell hybrid as it crawled into the ring, its pale, translucent scales glittering in the sunlight. The snake monster stood flexing his muscles in preparation, and then suddenly he turned and seemed to stare directly toward where the rebels were sitting. His dark crimson eyes locked with Hare's and narrowed slightly, and a slight grin spread over the reptilian's face. Then he turned away, bracing himself to fight.

__

It's him, was all Hare could think as he sat there, paralyzed in his seat from fear and shock. Noticing the haunted expression on his face, Mocchi waved his hand in front of the young rabbit's widened, wavering brown eyes, and then sweatdropped when he got no immediate response.

* * *

Aqua Cutter licked his lips in eager anticipation as he turned his attention back toward the fight at hand. The baddie was very pleased with himself; he had known that the rebels would probably try to earn some gold for their trip by entering a tournament like this one, and he was glad to see that he had apparently chosen the correct one. Now, all he needed to do was defeat all of his opponents and make certain that they all ended up with serious wounds, if not dead. Since the rebels had doubtless entered their best fighters in this competition, then getting rid of them would put the others at a serious disadvantage. It was a pity that he wasn't entirely certain who had entered from their team, but no matter. He didn't mind the possibility of harming innocent monsters in order to ensure that the rebels suffered as well; in fact he quite enjoyed the concept.

His first opponent stood ready and waiting for him: a scaled hare dressed in a long, flowing leather cloak that fell over his shoulders and gave him an illusion of strength that Aqua Cutter knew was faked. The hare breed, in his opinion, existed for the sole purpose of looking 'cute' and 'cuddly': more a race meant for being friends to humans than a race meant for fighting. He knew this monster would pose no challenge…

The match started, and Aqua Cutter surged forward, his long claws flashing as he brought them in front of him with a triumphant roar. He intended to impale his victim on his claws with this first lunge, then throw him into the ground and smash his bones with an Evil Shot full in the chest.

But suddenly his target vanished in a blur of green and tan, and as he attempted to skid to a halt and try to spot him, something slammed into his back at full force. Aqua Cutter felt the air rush out of his lungs with a whoosh, and before he could draw breath again, the scaled hare had seized his tail and, with a sudden effort, flung him across the ring.

The stunned naga hybrid crashed into the first row of the stands, and as the unfortunate spectators scrambled out of the way, he gasped for air and struggled to stand back up. Something cool and thin rested against the side of his neck, and as he forced his crimson eyes open, he spotted the long blade of a sword hovering next to him, held firmly in place by the green rabbit. The merest flick of his opponent's wrist would behead him.

"Smile…" Scaler whispered, a knowing smirk on his face. Turning back to the stunned officials, he called, "My opponent is no longer in any position to continue the battle. Shall we continue, or is this my match?"

"Uh…uhh…well, do you wish to continue?" the startled announcer asked, his eyes on Aqua Cutter. Knowing better than to press this fight onward, the reptilian closed his eyes in frustration and inclined his head slightly in an affirmative nod. Carefully, for the blade still hung close to his neck.

"All right then, it looks like…Scaler wins the match!" the human shouted, his voice becoming more confident as he named the scaled hare as the winner. The green rabbit smiled, and the sword's edge finally moved away from Aqua Cutter's neck as he got up and strode away. The reptilian got up and stormed away quickly, burning with rage.

__

HOW COULD HE?!? HOW COULD HE DEFEAT ME?!? He raged inwardly, tail lashing behind him. _I'll get him for this!_

* * *

The rest of the battles went smoothly enough, and soon Grey Wolf was returning to the waiting room for the final time, getting ready for the last match of the day. Overall, he was definitely pleased with how well he had done so far: Tiger would surely have been proud of him had he been there to witness his younger brother's battles. Now, there was only one battle left to decide the winner, the one that the silver wolf had been privately looking forward to ever since the moment he had decided to enter the tournament.

"So, you made it to the final round," Scaler commented, not even bothering to look directly at the silver-furred lupine as he strode into the room. Grey Wolf paused, but did not glance back at the green rabbit, and a slight smirk spread over his muzzle.

"So did you," he replied mildly, closing his eyes as he nodded once to himself.

"I was pleased to see how well you fought," the rabbit continued, his tone neutral. "Hare had mentioned that you were a great fighter, and I was glad to see that your performance appeared equal to his claim."

"Really…well, you haven't done so badly yourself," Grey Wolf answered, and he glanced briefly over his shoulder to see if the other would react. If he did, his leather cloak and turned back hid it well from him.

"Just be certain to keep fighting at that level when we face off, if not above it," the scaled hare continued after a moment's pause, beginning to stride off again. "Ally or not, I do not plan on holding back once we are in the ring."

"Neither am I," Grey Wolf replied, and he thought he heard a slight chuckle in reply to this, but could not be certain, as Scaler had already left the room by the time he turned around.

* * *

"Yay! Yay! Oh, I'm so excited!" Coltia gushed, starting to bounce up and down in her seat again as the other rebels stared at her and sweatdropped. "Oh, this is so cool; I don't know who I want to root for!"

"How can you be excited?" Serinity cried, her bright green eyes wide with shock. "Two of our friends are fighting one another! How can you find that to be exciting?"

"I know, but it's just so invigorating!" Coltia replied, beaming as she grinned over at the stunned pixie hybrid. "Don't you think this is great? We're about to see two great warriors take on each other in a battle to prove who is the stronger! Doesn't it thrill you?"

"………No," Serinity answered, her tone indicating that she found it shocking that anyone would consider this to be a good thing. Beside her, Holly shook her head and sweatdropped, and Hare dropped his wavering brown eyes in thought.

__

I don't like this…something's going to go wrong, I can sense it, he thought glumly, trembling. _The question is…what?_

He shuddered, then hastily snapped himself back to reality as the announcer's voice called out the names of the two finalists. He knew them by heart, and didn't really need to hear them again to know perfectly well what was going on, but still forced himself to pay attention, not wanting to miss anything that might tip him off to a disaster beforehand.

Grey Wolf's name was called first, and the silver-furred lupine stepped forward, his fur looking almost metallic as it gleamed in the sun's rays. Its brightness seemed to match the glittering edge of Scaler's sword as the green rabbit stepped up to face the wolf, holding his weapon at a ready position before him.

"Ready?" the man called, then scrambled to get out of the ring. His haste was almost comedic, especially when he tripped over the edge in his scramble, but few people laughed aloud at him. Straightening up, he took a deep breath to steady himself, trying to keep himself from looking worried and failing miserably.

"BEGIN!" he shouted, then edged even further away, eyeing the combatants warily.

Neither Scaler or Grey Wolf seemed to be in any hurry to attack; the two instead stared at each other for several seconds, every nerve in their bodies seeming to become taut as they began to circle each other. The green rabbit made a few test feints to see if the other would respond; the silver wolf evaded them easily and made a few quick swipes of his own. They weren't seriously attacking, but were instead attempting to gauge the other's abilities, testing them, watching how the other moved, how they reacted.

After a moment, Grey Wolf decided to take things a step further, and his horns suddenly glowed with pale blue light.

"Torpedo!" he called, not announcing his attack at the top of his lungs like his brother had in battle. The glowing blue missile surged forward; without flinching, Scaler made a sudden move with one paw, bringing his sword up before him. The blast struck the spinning blade and reflected it back toward the wolf, who sprung into the air.

Scaler leapt to meet him, and suddenly the battle seemed to start in earnest, for both combatants suddenly became a flurry of motion. Steel rang against sharp claws as the two crashed together, again and again. Neither appeared to be quite able to strike their target directly, but neither seemed to be tiring, either, as both attempted blow after counter-blow.

"Ohhhh…I can't watch this anymore!" Serinity wailed, leaping to her feet and turning her back on the sight, her cat-like ears folded up against her head to block out the noise. Holly glanced back at her and sweatdropped.

"This is so cool!" Coltia shouted for what seemed to be the thousandth time, her caramel eyes wide and sparkling with delight as she stared transfixed at the battle. The crowd seemed to share her opinion, roaring with excitement, although more than a few began to wonder how exactly this fight would ever end.

Hare stared at the two fighters as if in a daze, unable to tear his wavering brown eyes away for a second even though every nerve in his body seemed to scream at him. His mind was playing tricks on him, as the battle in real life blended with the battle he had witnessed in his dream, until he was not entirely certain where reality ended and the nightmare begun.

A deep-throated laugh rumbled from somewhere, sounding unnaturally clear and deep, and Hare instinctively jerked toward it as the Phoenix's Tear flared up beneath his kerchief. His eyes widened as he spotted first what nobody else was able to see yet, and he whirled back toward the others, about to scream a warning.

Too late.

Before everyone's shocked eyes, a ball of pulsing, pale blue light suddenly engulfed the two fighters in the ring, and its sudden explosion sent everyone reeling backward, thrown back by its sheer force. Hare quickly summoned a shield to protect himself and the other searchers, but could not hope to protect the pair that had been standing in the center of the stadium: at ground zero.

"SCALER! GREY WOLF!" he shouted at the top of his lungs as the blast slowly receded, leaving behind a ring bathed in blue flames. Nobody answered his frightened plea, and as Hare felt horrified tears spring to his widened eyes, the same deep laughter he had heard moments before rumbled again.

Whirling toward its source, the young rabbit felt his heart take a sudden leap into his throat: Aqua Cutter was standing on the top of one of the blasted rows, which was now vacant except for him, most of the patrons having fled. Moo's crest now gleamed unmistakably on his muscular chest, and he leered triumphantly as he caught sight of Hare's shields flickering around the young rabbit and his friends.

"Ah, well, that takes care of my little revenge on that wretched rabbit with the cloak," he rasped, his crimson eyes glittering as he sneered at Hare, "And now I shall take care of my business with you, little rabbit…"

He began to slither forward, moving slowly and confidently, knowing that there was nothing capable of coming between them at this point. Hare stole a quick glance back at the others: while they looked mostly unharmed, the force of the blast had knocked them unconscious. Coltia and Suezo had especially large bumps on the backs of their heads, and the young rabbit sweatdropped slightly as he mentally discounted the chances of receiving any help from his friends. He faced this baddie on his own.

Sensing victory, Aqua Cutter continued to take his time approaching the searchers. He watched with thinly veiled amusement as Hare tensed and dropped into a battle stance, still holding the glowing crimson shield up around himself and his knocked senseless friends.

"Just come along with me quietly, little one," he leered, a cruel smirk twisting his lips as he added, "After all, I would so hate to have to waste my time and energy taking you by force when both of us know that your surrender is inevitable."

"You want to make a bet of that?"

"What?" Aqua Cutter shouted in surprise, whirling around as Hare looked up towards the sound of the voice and gasped.

A pair of figures slowly emerged from the slowly dying flames of the smoldering ring, and both violet-brown eyes and eyes as cold as ice glared back at the startled reptilian. The green rabbit's scales looked a little singed, as did the edge of his cape, and the lupine's silvery fur had lost some of its natural sheen, but the two still looked mostly okay.

In fact, Scaler and Grey Wolf looked more enraged than they did injured.

"I don't know…who the hell you think you are," Scaler hissed, his dark eyes flashing brighter than the flames behind him.

"But you didn't have to interrupt us just as our fight was really getting good!" Grey Wolf snarled, baring his dagger-like teeth as his lips curled back.

"…Just as it was getting good?" Hare echoed under his breath, sweatdropping a little bit as he stared at the two. _Had they been…enjoying their battle together?_

Aqua Cutter was just gaping at the two, unable to answer. His normally narrow crimson eyes were unnaturally wide as he stared at them, one eyebrow twitching with disbelief. The reptilian was beginning to realize just how strong his opponent truly was.

__

He walked out of that blast…and doesn't even look hurt! He thought, stunned. Then a second realization struck him, causing his eyes to widen even further as it hit home.

__

They BOTH walked out of that blast and don't look hurt! They just looked mad…at me… 

"Grey Wolf, shall we…?" Scaler prompted, drawing his sword.

"We shall," the silver wolf replied, nodding curtly as blue energy burst into crackling, arcing light around his horns.

The two turned toward Aqua Cutter, and the baddie felt a huge sweatdrop form on the back of his head.

"Oh kuso…" he whispered, and took a faltering step backward.

Scaler and Grey Wolf lunged for him at the same time, both giving voice to their own battle snarl, and the naga hybrid let out a frightened scream. Hare watched the carnage that followed for a little bit, then quickly averted his eyes, wincing and keeping his shields up as explosions lit up the surrounding area. As steel and claws ripped and flayed, Hare glanced back at his unconscious friends and sweatdropped.

"Hope you guys don't take this the wrong way, but personally, I'm kind of glad that you can't see this," he confined, wincing again as a screaming Aqua Cutter suddenly tore past him, fleeing for his life. He was not surprised in the least when he turned back around to see Scaler and Grey Wolf trying to resume their battle, despite the now ruined condition of the stadium. Sighing, he bowed his head.

* * *

"It was really nice of them to give us the prize money for first and second place after that baddie was driven off," Coltia commented, folding her hands behind her still slightly throbbing head as she gazed up at the sky.

"Yeah, pity they told us to 'Get out, get out, get OUT!' at the same time," Suezo added, only half-jokingly.

"I'm certain that they only did that because the fight had been going on for so long," Holly told him, sweatdropping. "After all, they didn't banish us from that town for good…although I don't think we'll be able to enter another tournament there anytime soon…"

"Really, I'm just glad that terrible fight is over," Serinity agreed, hovering a few feet above the ground as she flew alongside Genki.

"At least they didn't make us pay for all the damage those two caused," Hare added in a whisper, and Genki and Suezo nodded in nervous agreement. Then Suezo suddenly paused, struck by a sudden thought.

"Hey, so who did win, anyway?" he suddenly blurted, looking around at everyone.

The other searchers paused, and all eyes turned toward Scaler and Grey Wolf. The two glanced at Suezo in mild surprise, then looked at one another. Violet-brown eyes locked with ice blue ones for a moment, and each regarded the other silently. Then, slowly, a pair of knowing smirks appeared on their faces, and they turned away again.

"We know," they quietly answered in unison, then turned and walked forward, side by side. The other searchers stared after them for a few stunned seconds, then scrambled to catch up.


	7. Crossroads Pain Recalled

* * * Episode Seven: Crossroads – Pain Recalled * * *

"Hey, look where we are, gang!" Genki shouted, racing ahead of the others. Since the clear-eyed boy was at his typical place at the very front of the group, none of them were able to see what he was looking at right away, something that kind of annoyed Holly even though she was too polite to say anything right now. Instead, she simply sighed, and walked at her own normal pace alongside the others until they reached the top of the hill they were on. Then she saw what he was talking about, and she understood.

Genki had come to a stop before a place where the road split into four different paths, each heading in a different direction. He stood directly in the middle of the intersection, gazing back toward the others with his hands on his hips and a huge smile on his face as he waited for them to catch up.

"Mocchi remember this place, chi," Mocchi commented as he slowed to a stop beside the boy. As the other searchers arrived, Genki grinned down at the young monster and nodded, a huge grin plastered on his face.

"Uh-huh," he said, beaming. "You remember too, huh Mocchi? We came here during our last trip, too. That village that we saved from flooding is just a short ways from here."

"Hmm, I remember how we ended up finding that village in the first place," Hare added mildly, a sly smile on his face. "You two went charging ahead and ended up stumbling over it – quite literally, if my memory serves me."

Genki's face flushed red with embarrassment for a moment, and Holly hid her giggling behind a discreetly raised hand. Suezo rolled his eye, a knowing smile on his face, while the newer members just looked at the five original searchers. Coltia cocked her head to one side in confusion for a moment, then shrugged.

"So is that where we're heading next, then?" she asked, looking directly at Holly and Genki. Genki stopped blushed, and his grin reappeared as he nodded, failing to notice that the girl beside him did not look as certain as he was.

"Yeah; I can't wait!" he cheered, as he started to charge down the path.

"Genki, wait," Holly suddenly called out, and the boy froze in his tracks. Turning around, he gave her a look of complete confusion.

"What? What's wrong, Holly?" he asked, walking back up to her and the others. In response, Holly reached under her shirt and fished out the Magic Stone, holding it up for him and everyone else to see.

"I think we should check the Magic Stone first," she explained. "I think I might be able to use it to get a lock on where Tiger and Golem are. I mean, it reacted to them when we first met…maybe we can use it to find them now?"

"It's worth a shot," Hare agreed, nodding thoughtfully. Serinity, Coltia and Grey Wolf glanced at one another, completely lost by the course of the conversation, while Scaler remained indifferent.

As they watched, Holly closed her eyes in concentration, and cupped her hands around the pendant stone. Genki came back up to watch, and the searchers gathered in silent anticipation around her, the newer members (save for Scaler) gave each other wondering and curious looks.

Then the stone began to pulse with shimmering light, and Coltia felt her mouth drop open in shock. Serinity gasped and covered her mouth with one hand, her bright green eyes nearly doubling in size, while Grey Wolf just gaped at the sight unfolding before him. Scaler arched one eyebrow slightly, the only outward reaction he showed to what was happening.

Holly kept her eyes tightly shut in concentration, and her brow furrowed slightly as she attempted to channel all of her power into the Stone.

__

Show me, she pleaded silently, _Show me where our friends are…where Golem's heart roams…where Tiger's spirit lies!_

Suddenly the Magic Stone glowed brightly, and a strong sapphire blue light sparked within its emerald depths. As the other searchers watched, transfixed, the shimmering azure light appeared to shape itself into a vaguely lupine form, and the five original members of the searchers gasped in surprise, as did Grey Wolf. The image seemed to gaze toward the mountains, and it reared back with a silent howl. Then it faded away as quickly as it had come, and Holly snapped her eyes open with a faint gasp.

"………Whoa," Coltia breathed after a few moments of awed silence. "That…was…so cool…"

"…No kidding," Serinity agreed, nodding slightly, her green eyes still wide with shock as she slowly recovered.

"That was…different," Hare observed, trying to keep his tone mild as he nervously gripped his own pendant. It was glowing faintly, as if in reaction to the Magic Stone, and he wondered if that was the case.

"So we head…this way, then," Genki said, turning and pointing toward the mountains. A slight frown crossed his face for a moment: he had been looking forward to visiting that village again, but the Stone had pointed in a different direction.

However, his annoyed expression quickly faded from view, to be replaced with an excited grin. After all, if what the Magic Stone had appeared to indicate was true, then Tiger might be very close by…

He could tell that Grey Wolf was thinking along the same lines, for when he looked at the silver wolf, he could clearly see hope shining in his pale blue eyes. He whirled on his heel again, this time facing the others with his normal confident grin on his face, and his clear brown eyes twinkled.

"Well, what are we waiting for, gang?" he inquired, and with a quick twirl started down the path that the Magic Stone had pointed out. Mocchi hopped onto his back, latching onto his backpack with a strong grip, and both of them laughed as they took off.

"Wait up!" Coltia shouted, scrambling after him, with Grey Wolf close on her heels. Holly ran close behind them, and as the others followed along, Serinity launched herself into the air and began to glide along, only a few feet above the ground.

* * *

Grey Wolf ran at a hard, fast lope, and found himself alongside Hare and Scaler. The older rabbit glanced briefly at him out of the corner of one violet-brown eye, then focused his attention back on the road ahead of them. However, Hare looked over at the silver wolf for a longer period of time, his wide brown eyes narrowed slightly, as if he was trying to read the lupine's expression to get an idea of his thoughts. After a moment, however, Scaler suddenly reached over and gave Hare's arm a gentle yank, jolting him out of his near-trance and pulling him along after him.

Grey Wolf shook his head, a slight grin on his muzzle as he continued to run after the other searchers. His heart was pounding in his ears, getting louder and more insistent with each step he took forward.

__

Can it really be possible? He wondered, hardly daring to believe. _Could my big brother honestly be back, alive and well? Have I been wrong all this time?_

He wasn't certain, but he wanted to believe. Oh, how he wanted to convince himself that what was happening was true. He wanted to think that any moment now, they would round the bend in the road and find the blue wolf standing there waiting for them, the wind ruffling his long, sapphire fur, his golden eyes glinting knowingly as they sought out and locked with pale blue ones…

__

- Oh yes, and then Moo's floating fortress will suddenly crash into the ocean and burn away to nothingness! -

Grey Wolf shook his head suddenly, his blue eyes becoming cold and distant for a few fleeting minutes.

In a perfect world, maybe that had some chance of happening. But no, seriously, he had to keep himself in the here and now. In all actuality, he figured that all they would really find is an empty path and, if they were lucky, some clue as to where his brother was now.

Still, he had to admit as he kept running forward, it would be nice if just this once, he turned out to be wrong…

* * *

__

Amazing…Holly actually has a stone that can point out which direction she has to go, Serinity thought as she glided along above the others. _I know she mentioned it before, when she was talking about how they defeated Moo and everything, but…I've never seen such a thing in my life! She must hold great power…_

The breeze suddenly shifted, changing direction on her, and the pixie hybrid automatically adjusted her flight path, dropping first a little lower, then heading a little higher until she located a new air current heading in the direction she desired.

__

So that…Magic Stone…was how Golem and his new friends found the Phoenix, she mused. Her bright green eyes became slightly distant as she attempted to picture her childhood friend watching intently as Holly concentrated on the Stone, but discovered that, for some reason, she simply could not bring an image to mind. Confused, she bit her lip in mild fright: she knew she had not forgotten her old friend's face, since she saw it clearly whenever she thought about their youth together, so…

…Or was that the problem, right there? She had no idea what Golem looked like now, in the present; all her memories and mental images of him came from the past. She had not seen him since…since…

__

…Since the moment I died in his arms, Serinity realized with a start, a small shiver running down her spine. As if responded to her sudden mood change, the breeze that carried her along dropped in temperature, and she absently hugged her arms to her chest.

She wondered if it was normal for a monster that had been killed and brought back to life to have a clear memory of what exactly it had been like, the moment they… She had no idea; and wasn't entirely certain how to ask anyone about it.

__

"Serinity!"

He had called to her, shouted out her name, and had lifted her body away from the battle, protecting her to the very end. She could still recall the very last glimpse she had seen of the living world: that of Golem's young, horrified face hovering over her, his soft gray eyes wide and wavering with horror and grief. She had smiled, wanting to reassure him…and then…

…That was where her memory faded away, becoming formless, fragmented, confused. After that, the next clear memory she had was of awakening, surrounded by everyone she had grown up with, save one… and others, many, many others who she had not recognized at all.

She remembered watching in complete confusion as a bunch of Jell monsters, ones that she failed to remember being part of the ones who had attacked in the first place or being from her home village, fleeing like mad into the woods, screaming something about a demon giant out to kill them. She had no idea what they were talking about, but now that she had learned about Moo, she thought that she understood. Moo must have killed them in that grove, though what the evil tyrant had been doing there, she could only guess at.

…Oh well. She could not begin to fathom how the minds of the baddies worked.

Instead, she turned her thoughts to other matters, like what her old friend might look like now. She doubted that he had changed much; the only possible thing she could think of that might have changed was that he might have gotten bigger. But how much time had passed, exactly, from that fatal battle to the time when the Phoenix rose?

She had no way of knowing. All she knew was that she wanted to see her old childhood friend again, to find out how he had been, and to let him know that everyone back home wanted to see him again.

* * *

Hare bit back a yelp as Scaler tugged on his arm again, urging him on, and the younger rabbit gave the scaled hare a look of annoyance. However, he couldn't help feeling a little amused as well, since he figured that he was probably more eager to find his friends again than Scaler was in meeting them.

In all probability, the sensible part of his mind informed him, the chances of Tiger of the Wind and Golem being this close to them was unlikely at this point. Hare recognized this, but didn't really care at this point. After all, sooner or later, they would find the others, and then Moo wouldn't stand a chance against them. They could summon the Phoenix again, and everything would work out.

The Phoenix's Tear was glowing again under his kerchief, and he noticed with mild surprise as he glanced down at it that the light was now a faint blue instead of red. But then again, he reasoned, maybe it was just reacting to whatever it was that had set the Magic Stone off. And who knew? Maybe Tiger really was nearby…

__

* Well, there's only one way to find out! *

Hare managed to get his arm loose from Scaler's grasp, and he laughed as he darted ahead of the older rabbit, after the other searchers. Under his bandanna, his pendant continued to glow with sapphire light, growing stronger as they neared the cliffs ahead of them.

* * *

As they entered the canyons, however, Hare felt a sudden cool chill run up his back, and he slowed to a walk behind the others as they headed forward. The others had slowed down as well, and he wondered if they had noticed how suddenly that his mood had changed.

"Uh…boy, this doesn't look promising," Suezo noted, surveying the echoingly silent canyons ahead of them with clear disappointment in his narrowed green-gold eye. Genki shivered, then shook his head violently and stepped ahead of the others, taking the lead.

"Come on, let's go," he prompted, glancing back over his shoulder and motioning for everyone to follow him. They did, although without most of the energy and eagerness that they had soon while heading toward this place.

Grey Wolf studied the area around them with interest, his pale blue eyes looking strange for a moment as he surveyed the surrounding cliffs. Noticing his unusual expression, Serinity swept down to glide beside him.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her soft green eyes filled with concern. The silver wolf jerked with surprise and turned startled blue eyes up toward her.

"Oh…for some reason, I keep thinking that I know this place from somewhere," he explained. Serinity cocked her head to one side in thought.

"Well, it is close to where you and your pack live," she offered. "Maybe you've explored this area before?"

"I don't know, I don't remember being here with the new pack," Grey Wolf replied, shaking his head. His eyes narrowed slightly as he added, "I think…I might have been here at some point with Tiger, before…but I just can't remember for certain."

"Oh," Serinity murmured, looking away. She thought about how horrible it must feel to lose memories like that, and wondered again if there was something wrong with her. Why did she remember her past life, but Grey Wolf…? But then, perhaps Moo had something to do with his memory loss.

Hare, meanwhile, was beginning to have a little trouble keeping focused on walking forward, keeping an eye out for any sign of Tiger or Golem. His head was beginning to ache, the dull throbbing becoming gradually sharper with each step he took forward. There was a cool, twisting pressure at his chest now as well, and it seemed to spread through his veins as he followed the others deeper into the canyon.

His feet slipped out from under him suddenly, and he stumbled, barely able to catch himself before he could fall to the ground. Almost immediately a pair of strong hands seized his shoulders, and Hare looked up through the fog forming in his mind to see Scaler's concerned face above him. The green rabbit's narrowed violet-brown eyes shone with a mixture of annoyance and veiled worry, and he set Hare back on his feet, keeping one paw clamped firmly over his shoulder.

"Hare, are you alright?" Holly asked, looking back at them. Hare quickly nodded, and pulled away from Scaler's grasp.

"I-I'm fine," he said, and he forced himself to walk again, concentrating to keep from faltering or stumbling. Holly and Scaler both watched him for a few moments, and then both looked away, turning their attention back to the road ahead of them.

Gritting his teeth, Hare attempted to focus on the task at hand as well, but his head continued to throb, until it took all of his concentration to simply keep moving forward. Unconsciously, he pressed the back of one paw against his forehead, and was slightly startled by how warm it felt to him. It seemed an odd contrast with the icy presence against his chest…

A vaguely familiar voice was echoing in his mind, in a tone as soft and whispering as the wind, the cold, cold wind that was beginning to bite through his fur with tiny, sharp teeth…

It suddenly sharpened into a shrill scream of pain and outrage, piercing through his trembling body like the blade of a knife and driving him to his knees. A soft moan escaped the young rabbit's lips as he crumpled to the ground, his vision blurring badly. The road before him suddenly vanished into a blur of swirling white, and Hare cried out again unknowing as his friends disappeared into the blank, nearly featureless landscape, the cry drowned out by the roar of the winds.

__

* W…why…why is this happening to me? What… *

Snow surged into his face, blinding him, and Hare wrapped his arms tightly around his badly shaking body in a futile attempt to warm himself. The voices he heard became louder, more insistent, screaming – not at him, but at something else. Something… someone…

The Phoenix's Tear continued to glow with eerie sapphire light, and Hare's breathing became more labored, forced, as something both alien and strangely familiar sought to break into his resisting mind, desiring control… It shrieked at him, its harsh command becoming the howl of the raging wind, and with all the strength of a tornado it slammed into him, surrounding him, trapping him…

Then, it tore through the last of his defenses and surged through his small frame, tearing through him, a raw shriek of remembered pain and inner torment that made itself real, corporeal, using his unwilling body as its focus…

* * *

A soft sound like a gasp was mostly drowned out by the loud conversations going on all around her, yet Mocchi still appeared to overhear it. The little pink monster stopped short in his tracks, causing Genki to nearly trip over him. Crying out, the clear-eyed bot took a few steps to steady himself, then whirled on his friend.

"Mocchi? What are you…" he started to demand, trailing off as he noticed that Mocchi was not paying any attention to him. Following the young monster's gaze, Genki completely forgot his anger as he spotted Hare sprawled out face down on the road some ways behind him.

"Hare!" he shouted, scrambling past the startled other rebels as he darted to the young bunny's side. He started to kneel down beside him, only to be abruptly showed out of the way as Scaler crouched down by Hare. The scaled hare seized the younger rabbit roughly by the shoulders and rolled him over, and Genki sucked in a startled breath as he glimpsed his friend's face.

He had been expecting Hare's eyes to be closed, thinking that he may have fainted, but it took only a moment for him to realize that this was not the case. Instead, the young rabbit's eyes were wide open, but were fogged over, without any sign of his normal intelligence and spirit in their glassy depths. Genki felt a cold shiver run down his back and, ignoring how Scaler glared at him, reached down and grabbed Hare's shoulders, trying to shake him awake.

"Genki? What's wrong with him, Genki?" Coltia's quavering voice asked at his ear. He just shook his head in reply, trying to concentrate on bringing his friend back to consciousness. After a few moments, a pair of slender hands slowly reached down and clasped over his, and Genki looked up to see Holly's wavering bronze eyes gazing back at him sympathetically.

"Genki…don't," she said sadly, shaking her head in dismay. "You might only be hurting him right now…"

"But what's wrong with him?" Coltia wailed, tears springing to her tan eyes as she looked from Holly's averted gaze to Genki, then to Mocchi and Suezo when the boy did not answer either.

"Yes…I think we have every right to know…exactly what the hell is wrong with him right now," Scaler agreed, his voice coming very slow and measured, as if he was struggling to keep under control as he kept one eye trained on the younger rabbit.

However, before Genki, Holly or Suezo could think of a reply, Hare suddenly saved them the trouble of having to explain. The Phoenix's Tear flared again with cold blue light, and a raw shriek erupted from his mouth as his body convulsed, taking everyone off guard. Coltia screamed and latched onto Genki's arm, her horrified expression a near mirror of Genki's own face as he stared in horror at the bunny's writhing form.

Scaler moved to pin Hare back down, attempting to make him stop struggling, but the younger rabbit let out another horrible shriek and wrenched away. Holly shuddered, wondering what was happening to cause such terrible screams. It was unlike anything she had ever heard before: it was almost as if the voice that was shrieking was not quite Hare's own.

Despite all of Scaler's efforts, Hare had managed to pull away from him, and suddenly was standing, wavering on his feet, the same haunted look in his glassy eyes. His pendant pulsed with cold sapphire light, casting eerie shadows over his face, and his breath came in hard, rasping gasps as he seemed to stare fixedly forward.

"What are you doing here?!?" he demanded in a husky voice nowhere near his normal tone, and he dropped into a tense, battle-ready stance as he added, grimly, "Leave this place, now! You have no reason to be here…"

"…Uh, who are you talking to?" Suezo inquired, sweatdropping hugely as he waved his tail in front of Hare's unblinking, foggy eyes. When he got no response, the eyeball monster leaned closer, staring directly into the young rabbit's face.

"Hare, chi?" Mocchi asked, and the young monster reached out to tug on his friend's arm.

As if in response, the Phoenix's Tear suddenly flashed a blinding sapphire hue, and both Suezo and Mocchi reared back as if they had been shoved away. Holly and Genki quickly ran to the sides of their respective partners, steadying them as they staggered backward.

"Mocchi? Mocchi, what's wrong?!" Genki cried, his heart taking a sudden leap into his throat as he noticed the haunted look that had come into the pink monster's eyes. However, he could tell that unlike Hare, Mocchi had at least some awareness of what was happening around him, for his eyes retained their same clarity, the same spirit, although now they also looked intensely fearful.

"…M…Moo…" he whispered, trembling as he stared up at Genki's concerned face.

"It's okay, Mocchi, I'm right here," Genki replied, pulling Mocchi into a shaking embrace. However, the young monster suddenly wrenched away, shaking his head violently.

"No, no, Moo!" he insisted, wide eyes wavering as they locked on Genki's face, begging for him to comprehend what he was trying to tell him.

Meanwhile, Holly was having similar troubles with Suezo; the eyeball monster had gone completely pale and was stammering incoherently, staring off in the same direction that Hare was looking. Holly was struggling to calm him down, with no effect.

"Suezo, please calm down!" she begged, her trembling hands resting against his rigid side as she tried to get him to say exactly what was bothering him. He glanced briefly at her, a flicker of recognition sparking in his green-gold pupil for a moment, and then he turned his attention back past her, into the empty space beyond her.

"Th-this can't be real! I know that we…but this is, this is…" she heard him mutter, and was about to ask what he meant when she noticed something that made her suck in a gasp. She could see a figure reflected clearly in his widened eye, a familiar figure that caused her to turn around quickly, only to see nobody behind them at all.

"Holly, what's up?" Genki asked, seeing how quickly she had jerked around. Holly turned wavering bronze eyes toward him, shaking her head slightly.

"I thought…I thought that I saw…Moo," she explained hesitantly, and Genki jerked his head up to stare at her in shock.

"Moo?!?" he exclaimed, disbelieving.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you, chi!" Mocchi piped up, and all eyes turned toward the little pink monster. Pointing forward, he shouted, "Moo is right there, but not right there, chi!"

"…What? There and not there…?" Coltia asked, a slightly disturbed look on her face as she sweatdropped at Mocchi's unusual choice of words. She cast a rapid glance in the direction that the young pink monster was pointing, and saw nothing ahead of them. Confused, she turned back around and asked, "What do you mean…?"

Before she could finish her question, Hare let out another horrible scream, and his pendant flared again with blinding sapphire light. As the others cried out and shielded their eyes, Holly suddenly noticed another glow at the edge of her vision. Looking down, she realized with a start that the Magic Stone was also gleaming with a blue aura, and as she reached down and gently clasped it in her trembling hands, a second flash temporarily robbed all of the searchers of their sight.

Genki regained his vision first, his clear eyes wavering slightly as they adjusted. Moving his blocking arms away from his face, he felt his eyes widen in shock as they beheld the area surrounding him.

It had…changed, somehow. Although he slowly recognized the canyon as being the same one they had been walking through, the rocky cliffs were now masked by thick blankets of snow, the same snow that swirled around them and surged into his face.

But even stranger than this was the fact that the snow did not sting his face even as the sparkling white flakes brushed against his cheeks.

"Wh-where are we? What's going on here?!?" Coltia wailed, latching onto the arm of the rebel closest to her, which just happened to be Genki. He glanced over at her, unable to give her any answer, then his gaze traveled over to the others. Holly was gripping Suezo's side, looking around in amazement and fear, and Serinity was holding a trembling Mocchi's hand. Scaler actually looked a little startled, although he did not show his astonishment as much as the others were. His attention was focused completely on Hare.

The young rabbit was still standing by himself; his eyes still looking fogged over and haunted. The Phoenix's Tear was now glowing with a steady sapphire hue, and as the other searchers turned and stared in horror, a faint blue aura surrounded him.

"I'm telling you to GO AWAY!" he snarled in that strange voice again. He was still poised as if ready to attack, and his breathing sounded unnatural and unsteady. Grey Wolf stared directly at him, then shot a quick look around him; his pale blue eyes widened as a new comprehension dawned in them.

"I remember this place!" he blurted, and the other rebels whirled to stare at him.

"What do you mean?" Serinity asked, tears of fright brimming in her verdant eyes. Gray Wolf's ice blue eyes grew haunted as he took another look around the snow-filled canyon, and a cold shudder ran through his body.

"This place…it looks exactly like the canyon where Tiger, our pack and I fought with Moo…"

"What?" Genki blurted, his clear brown eyes nearly doubling in size, while Coltia gasped and tightened her grip around the boy's arm. Suddenly she let out a scream, and pointed forward through the swirling curtains of snow.

"Genki! Is-is that…?" she stammered, her caramel eyes wavering with terror as shadowy forms slowly began to emerge from the howling blizzard. Genki could not reply, and his silence spoke for him as he cast wavering eyes upon a familiar face that he had hoped never to see again…

A single figure towered above other, smaller creatures, its narrowed crimson eyes flashing bloodfire in their ebony mask. The long, flowing cape that billowed in the raging wind was also a deep black shade, a sharp contrast with the figure's gleaming golden bronze armor. As it slowly drew closer to them, Genki heard Coltia let out a soft whimper, and her grasp tightened on his wrist. Suezo shuddered and stepped closer to Holly, his green-gold pupil small with fear. Serinity stood petrified, one hand tightly clasped around Mocchi's, her huge leaf-green eyes wavering as she stared at the towering monster.

"Is that…Moo?" she asked, her trembling voice a bare whisper.

Scaler glanced back at her and inclined his head in a slight nod, even as he dropped into a defensive stance in front of the younger rabbit. Violet-brown eyes glittered as they narrowed into bare slits, and his paws blurred as he drew a couple of throwing knives in a movement too quick to follow. His leather cloak flapped about wildly in the raging wind, unnoticed by the green rabbit as he waited for an appropriate moment to strike.

Serinity continued to stare fixedly up at Moo as he approached them, unable to tear her wavering eyes away. _Golem fought against this?_ She thought she was beginning to understand why; she could feel an evil presence radiating from the dark giant's body, sending chills up and down her spine as she gaped up at him.

Suddenly she noticed something that completely startled her, and a soft gasp escaped her pale lips. Moo made a sharp motion with his hand, and suddenly the monsters that had been milling about his feet surged forward, making to attack. Genki shook Coltia off, and she glanced rapidly over at him, confusion flickering in her tan eyes for a moment. Then she suddenly understood, and nodded curtly back at him, before tensing for the counterattack.

"Wait! Look at their eyes!" Serinity's voice rang out, catching everyone's attention. It only took a moment for them to see what she meant: none of the attacking baddies were looking at them. Instead, they appeared to be focused on something behind them…

"Attack!" Hare suddenly howled, the tenseness in his body suddenly exploding with a force akin to a coiled spring as he made a quick jump forward. Before Genki could ask what in the heck the little rabbit was doing, several more blurry figures surged out of the swirling snow behind them, and everyone gasped as they caught sight of them.

The first wave of baddies found themselves being met with like force, and recoiled backward as lupine monsters pressed their counterattack. Grey Wolf gaped at the Datons and Datonares in shock, his mouth working soundlessly for a moment, then swung his stunned gaze back toward the others as two more lupine figures appeared, racing into view side by side.

One blur of silver fur…and one of blue.

"Tiger?" Genki, Mocchi, Holly and Suezo cried out in surprise as the blue wolf came to a standstill. Grey Wolf said nothing, just continued to stare blankly at the silver-furred lupine standing beside the golden-eyed wolf: an exact double of himself, or his younger self.

"This is getting too strange for me!" Suezo wailed, staring at the two brothers in shock. Swinging his gaze back toward the other Grey Wolf, the one they had been traveling with, he demanded, "What the heck is going on?!?"

Grey Wolf simply glanced over at him, unable to provide an answer. The strange blue wolf had dropped into a battle crouch, and sapphire-tinted electricity was pulsing over his horns, casting shadows over his unscarred face. As he unleashed his attack, sending it surging toward Moo, he opened his mouth to shout, but no sound came out.

"LIGHTNING!" Hare screamed in his strange, twisted voice, at the exact same moment that the blue wolf's mouth moved to speak. Genki whirled around to look at him in shock, then jerked as he heard Serinity let out a shriek of fear. Spinning to face her, he immediately saw what was wrong; she was standing directly in the path of Tiger's attack. There was no time for her to possibly dodge away; all the pixie hybrid could do was shove Mocchi away from her and wait for the blast to strike her.

The electric bolt lanced forward, and Serinity let out a sharp gasp as it reached her. However, it was not a gasp of pain, but a gasp of shock, as the blue energy passed directly through her chest, striking a baddie behind her. As she spun to face it, the monster let out a soundless scream of agony and doubled backward.

"Wh-what the…" she breathed, gently touching her uninjured chest in a daze. She had expected to die again, but instead felt completely normal. The only thing she had felt as the attack had passed through her was a slight tingling sensation, like a soft breeze against bare skin, but that was it. No wrenching pain, no unbearable agony.

"This…this is," Grey Wolf murmured, his pale blue eyes going wide, and he whirled to face the others. "This is when Moo attacked us! It has to be!"

"But I still don't understand what's happening," Serinity said, as Mocchi stumbled over to her and clung to her arm for comfort again. "If this happened in the past, why are we seeing it now?"

"I don't know, but I think that Hare's pendant thingy has something to do with it," Coltia piped up. The other rebels sweatdropped at her choice of words.

"Um…'pendant thingy', Colt?" Holly whispered, shaking her head slightly. Still, she had to admit that the younger human girl did have a valid point; she couldn't help but agree with the idea that this was somehow connected to the eerie blue light that the Phoenix's Tear was currently sparkling with.

Scaler had apparently come to the same conclusions as the human girls, for his violet-brown eyes narrowed as they locked on the crystalline teardrop. Suddenly the blades in his hands seemed to vanish as he sheathed them, and he made a sudden lunge toward Hare's standing figure, making a grab for the glowing pendant.

Genki quickly ran forward and intervened, seizing Scaler's arm and yanking it backward before the green rabbit could touch Hare. Scaler whirled and gave the boy a scathing glare, dark eyes flashing.

"What do you think you are doing, boy?" he demanded, turning the last word into a sort of curse. Genki winced, feeling a surge of anger rise within him, and attempted to keep himself under control.

"Look, Scaler," he managed to get out between gritted teeth, "It's not a good idea for you to try and touch him right now. You might end up hurting yourself, or him…"

Scaler's face had remained impassive, but Genki thought he could see a brief flicker of…something…in those dark violet-brown eyes at the last part of his comment. His tense arm slowly relaxed, and when Genki let go of it, the green rabbit let it fall to his side instead of attempting another snatch.

"…So how do we stop this, then?" he inquired, his dark eyes locked with Genki's own clear ones. The boy shook his head, not knowing what to say, and both of them glanced back at Hare.

The younger rabbit was completely unaware of what had just occurred mere inches in front of his face: his glassy eyes saw only the phantom battle that was raging before them. His body twisted in an odd mimicry of the shadow version of Tiger's own moves, and the searchers could only watch in horror as the old battle played out before them.

A Datonare screamed silently as its twisted, mauled form was tossed toward the rebels, landing a few inches away from Serinity. Instinct temporarily taking over, the pixie hybrid instantly fell to her knees beside him, a light green aura appearing around her slender, gesturing fingers. She reached out to touch his bloodied mane, but paused as her glowing fingertips met only air, passing directly through his ethereal body.

__

Oh…that's right, she realized slowly, as she absently made another grasp at the wispy form before her. _This is only a memory…I cannot affect the past…_

That thought was little comfort to her, however, as she watched the scaled wolf's form twist and shrink, glowing with a faint white light that faded away as it finished its transformation into a lost disc. Tears streaked down her cheeks, and her soft green eyes wavered as she regarded the small stone disc sadly.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her faint apology lost to the howling wind. Unable to take the carnage she was witnessing any longer, she buried her face in her shaking hands and wept. Mocchi was beside her, and his wide eyes wavered as he noticed the muffled sound of her sobbing.

"Serinity-chi," he whispered, and one small pink hand rested awkwardly against the pixie's back, a child's simple offer of comfort. She showed no outer reaction to him at first, but her sobs seemed to become a little less violent after a moment.

And then Hare screamed again. Holly thought she could almost recognize his voice now: it almost sounded like Tiger's voice, but there was an unknown quality behind it. An fathomless rage…an undercurrent of outrage and deep sorrow…

"It's nearly over," Grey Wolf announced abruptly, his blue eyes darkening with remembered pain as they narrowed slightly. Holly glanced sharply in his direction, then her gaze swung back against her will toward the battle, as did the gazes of the other searchers. They did not want to watch, didn't want to see what they knew would come next, but could not stop themselves. They had to witness this, for reasons they could not possibly know or understand.

As they watched, transfixed, helpless, the image of Moo reached idly over toward the younger Grey Wolf, who snarled silently and lunged at him. White teeth flashed as the silver lupine bared them, and he sprang toward the golden armored titan even as Hare shrieked a warning in Tiger's voice.

Too late. Thick fingers of ebony and gold closed around the hapless lupine, and Grey Wolf winced inwardly with recalled agony as violet-black lightning coursed through every vein in his younger self's body.

"Little brother!" Hare screamed in a twisted version of Tiger's voice as the manifestation of the blue wolf whirled around just in time to see the silver wolf's body go limp in Moo's gleaming gauntlet. An unearthly howl of outrage ripped from the writhing rabbit's tortured lungs as he made to lunge forward, giving voice to the younger Tiger's otherwise mute roar as he surged toward the titan, golden eyes and white teeth flashing.

Moo did not even flinch as the enraged blue wolf surged toward him, and with a casual flick of his wrist batted him away like a pesky fly. Tiger's body went flying through the air and smashed into the canyon wall, and as he slumped to the ground, Hare screamed again, both paws flying up to clutch the side of his face.

"MY EYE! MY EYE! MY EYE! WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!?" he shrieked, his body twisting and writhing horribly in shared agony. His blocking hands fell partially away, and Holly noticed that while his face was thankfully unscarred, one of his eyes was tightly wrenched shut, and it looked almost as if he was unable to open it.

"What's happened! Grey Wolf! Little brother!" he called, taking a few shaky steps forward before slumping into a crouch. The image of Tiger struggled to his feet, raising his head slightly, just enough for Genki and the other searchers to see the blood that soaked the side of his face.

Moo turned away, his long ebony cape fluttering around him, the younger Grey Wolf still hanging limply from one huge hand. The surviving baddies filed after him; they more than outnumbered the remaining wolves, but followed their leader's orders and withdrew instead of finishing them off. As they faded into the masking veils of swirling snow and ice, the slumped figure of the blue wolf watched them go with one wavering golden eye, the other covered with blood and tinting his vision red.

Hare screeched one final time, a jagged howl of indescribable loss, outrage and pain, and his body straightened into a tight, rigid pose, every muscle in his small frame tensing. At his neck, the Phoenix's Tear flared one final time with brilliant sapphire blue light.

Then, suddenly, the azure radiance flashed out of existence, and Hare gasped as he whirled toward the others. His eyes were widened, and behind their suddenly clear gaze flickered a hint of Hare's spirit, frightened, trembling.

Then his eyes closed, and his body sagged forward in a sudden, alarming collapse, and Scaler barely managed to step forward in time to catch him before he could hit the ground. The snow surrounding the rebels abruptly vanished, replaced with the canyon they had been walking through only minutes before.

Pulling Hare's limp body into his arms, Scaler glanced back at the other rebels. A grim look came over his face as he noted their shock, and his violet-brown eyes flashed as he whirled on them.

"Don't just stand around here, you idiots!" he snarled, snapping them back to the present. "You'll only make yourselves a bunch of nice targets for the enemy if they come this way! At least find some shelter to hide in!"

He then whirled on his heel and stomped off, carrying Hare gently in his arms, not waiting to see if his words had any effect on the others. Genki shook his head to help himself regain his senses, then turned towards the other searchers, signaling for them to follow him.

* * *

"So tell me…what exactly caused that?" Scaler asked quietly, his dark gaze fixed on Holly's face. Holly sighed, glancing for a moment into the flickering flames of the campfire they had set up. The scaled hare continued to stare silently at her, knowing that if he would get the truth out of any of them, it would most likely be from her.

"…It's because…of the Phoenix's Tear," she relented after a few minutes of silence. Scaler narrowed his eyes slightly at her.

"That crystal?" he inquired, wanting to confirm his suspicions. When Holly nodded, he simply nodded back, curtly, and his solemn gaze drifted back towards where Hare lay resting. His pendant was now glowing with its familiar crimson light, and his condition seemed to have improved greatly since it had regained its former state. His breathing had become normal, and he looked almost as if he was resting peacefully now instead of suffering.

"…If it causes him to be hurt like that, then I don't think that he should be forced to use it," Scaler commented quietly after a few moments of silence. "That entire spectacle was a little too painful for my tastes. Why…"

"Please, don't try to force him to give it up," Holly interrupted, raising her head so that she could lock eyes with the green rabbit. Her bronze eyes shimmered in the firelight as she pleaded, "I know it must hurt you to see things like that happen to him, and believe me, it hurts me too. It bothers all of us to see him in pain like that. I don't know how this happened, and I hated to see it, but there was nothing we could do to prevent it. All we can do is try to keep going, and help everyone get through this."

"…Is that all you have to say? You must be pretty hard-hearted to be able to even think something like that," Scaler commented, then he stood and walked out of the cavern, leaving Holly with her own bleak thoughts. Suezo, who had been feigning sleep behind her, hopped to his foot and glared daggers at the cavern entrance.

"You're a fine one to talk, Scaler," he growled under his breath, about to go after him.

"Suezo…please, don't," Holly pleaded, catching at the eyeball monster's leg. He glanced back at her and grudgingly settled down beside her, his green-gold pupil wavering with sympathy.

"Holly, don't listen to that jerk," he said, smiling reassuring up at her. "He doesn't have any idea what he's talking about. He just doesn't know you at all."

Holly smiled faintly and stroked Suezo's side, shaking her head slightly.

"I know, Suezo, I know," she replied. "And thank you."

Suezo grinned wider and snuggled up against her side, his eyelid beginning to droop as real sleep began to take over his senses. Holly sighed and let her gaze drift across the sleeping forms of the others, checking to make certain they were all there. Other than Scaler, there were only two rebels currently absent from the cavern, and she already knew where they had gone…

* * *

Outside, Grey Wolf gazed up into the night sky, his blue eyes wavering as they caught and reflected the light from the moon and stars. A cool breeze sent ripples through his silver fur, going unnoticed by the lupine monster. Serinity was perched on a rock a few feet away from him, simply watching him in respectful silence.

"…So…that really happened?" she inquired meekly after a few moments. Grey Wolf did not glance back at her, but inclined his head slightly in a nod.

"Moo captured me that day, and I have not seen my brother since then…I thought he was dead," he confided, and Serinity did not have to see his face to know that tears brimmed in his eyes. Her own verdant eyes grew moist with tears, and she suddenly left her perch, flitting over to his side. One slender hand rested against silver fur, and now Grey Wolf did glance back at her, though only for a moment.

"I lost someone close to me because of violence as well," she informed him quietly, a faint, sad smile on her face. "But we must not lose faith. We will see them again, someday, I'm certain of it. All we can do until then is continue forward, and never lose hope. We must do what we can…"

Grey Wolf nodded again, and both monsters gazed back up toward the stars again. For a moment, a pair of forms seemed to manifest themselves in the glittering flecks of light: one thought he could see the gleam of golden eyes, the other glimpsed a pair of soft, kind eyes of gray gazing back down into her own face. But this may have been merely an illusion brought on by a pair of longing hearts. It did not matter to either of them, at any rate. They thought that they saw it, and they felt a new belief in their own dreams. That was all that really mattered…


	8. Through Mists of Time and Rain

* * * Episode Eight: Through Mists of Time and Rain * * *

"What do you mean, 'what happened'?" Suezo exclaimed in disbelief, staring at Hare. Hare cocked his head to one side and gave the other searchers a curious, blank look, his wide brown eyes shining with confusion.

"Look, I don't understand what your problem is," he said, shaking his head slightly. "I just asked a simple question, and you guys start acting all weird."

"But Hare…you honestly don't remember what happened?" Holly inquired, her bronze eyes growing soft with concern.

"No, I don't," Hare repeated, shaking his head as he gave her a frustrated look. "Like I told you guys before, the last thing I remember is getting a really bad headache and collapsing. Then I blacked out, I guess, and the next thing I know, I'm waking up in this cave with you and Colt hovering over me and looking really concerned. Obviously something happened while I was knocked out, and I just want to know what…"

He frowned as he noticed the knowing glances that the other searchers were giving each other when they thought he wasn't paying attention. So something had happened while he had been unconscious, and the others didn't want him to know exactly what for some reason. He hated the idea: what was wrong with them? Did they not think he was mature enough to hand whatever had occurred? Why were they refusing to tell him?

"…Don't worry about it," Grey Wolf was saying, his blue eyes locked with Hare's own stubborn gaze. "I was just reminded of something in my past…that's all."

Hare glared at the silver wolf, not quite convinced. He noticed that Grey Wolf was trying to avoid looking him straight in the eyes, and knew that he was hiding something. What exactly that was, he wasn't quite certain of yet, and by the way the others were stonewalling him, it was probably something pretty bad.

"Look, you should try and get some rest right now," Holly told him, gesturing to the opening of the cave. It was already late in the evening, and the sun's last rays were shrouded with dark clouds, while a light rain showered the canyons.

"We can't do any more traveling until the rain lets up, and it's late, anyway. We should go ahead and get some sleep."

Hare recognized the fact that she was attempting to get him to drop the subject, but also saw that he wasn't going to get anywhere by pushing things right now. With a short sigh of aggravation, he rolled over and yanked the heavy blanket that he had found cast over him when he had awakened earlier over his shoulders. At first, he only planned to feign sleep and listen in to what the others said as soon as they thought he was, but he quickly realized that there was one problem with that: he was actually pretty tired.

After the little rabbit had nodded off, Holly breathed a sigh of relief.

"We can't tell him what really happened earlier, everyone," she said as she turned toward the other searchers. She really did not need to state this; they had already silently agreed to this long ago, and all of them nodded solemnly back at her in reply.

"What I don't get is that he can't remember it on his own," Coltia commented, shivering a little as she added, "I mean, I don't think I'll ever be able to forget that…"

"Yeah…" Genki nodded his agreement, and shuddered for a moment, glancing over at where Mocchi was curled up. The little pink monster was asleep now as well, something that he was privately thankful for.

"At least he doesn't have to live with the memory of that little incident," Scaler commented, not even bothering to look up at the others, instead keeping his dark eyes trained on the blade he was currently sharpening.

"…Yeah, you're right," Coltia said, looking back down at the ground beneath her. "I mean, it looked bad enough from where we were standing…I can't imagine what it must have been like to live through that…"

"No kidding," Grey Wolf observed mildly, and Coltia whirled to stare at him in horror as she realized what she had just implied. A red flush came over her cheeks, and as she stammered an apology, the silver wolf just shook his head and tried to calm her.

Suezo averted his gaze from the two, and looked for something else to distract him from the sad scene. As he scanned the faces of the other rebels, he suddenly noticed something that made him start with surprise.

"Hey, Serinity's missing!" he blurted, seeing no sign of the pixie hybrid anywhere. The other searchers looked at him, then glanced around.

"She didn't come in with me when the rain started," Grey Wolf volunteered after a moment. "She told me she wanted to stay out for a little while longer."

"Huh, I wonder why she'd want to be out in the rain," Coltia said, blinking in surprise as she glanced toward the cave's entrance. Genki glanced over at her, then stood up and walked over to the opening.

"Serinity?" he called, sticking his head outside and looking around. "Are you okay…"

His voice trailed off as his gaze suddenly fell upon the pixie hybrid. She was a few feet away from him, but did not appear to notice him at all. Instead, she seemed to be concentrating completely on what she was doing, which, as near as Genki could figure, was dancing.

Her slender body swayed quietly as she spun slowly in place, her arms sweeping in gentle, graceful arcs. Her short, reddish-orange hair swung in dampened curls around her face; her soft green eyes were nearly closed, veiled by her lowered eyelashes. Genki found himself gaping at her without meaning to: the sight reminded him of a delicate flower caught in the wind, swaying with the breeze.

"Genki, did you find…whoa," Suezo gasped as he hopped up behind the clear-eyed boy and caught sight of Serinity. At the sound of the eyeball monster's gasp, Serinity jerked slightly and turned to face them, her bright green eyes huge and luminous in the rain.

"Oh, I'm sorry, have I been taking too long?" she asked, walking over to them. Genki shook his head no, and stepped out of her way as she entered the cave.

"What were you doing out there?" he asked as he and Suezo led her back to where the others were gathered around the campfire. Serinity took a seat next to the blazing flames; her pale skin still glistened from the rain, and she began to absently wring out the damp curls of reddish hair that hung around her face.

"I was dancing," she replied simply, smoothing out the hem of her dress so it would dry out a little faster.

"We could tell that much," Suezo commented dryly, rolling his eye for a moment. "But why were you dancing…?"

"Because I wanted to celebrate the rain," Serinity explained, and her soft green eyes shimmered as her gaze was drawn back to the cave's entrance, where one could still see the gentle curtains of rain falling. "When the rain falls, it helps to bring new life into being, and helps to sustain it, providing a vital essence for survival. I just wanted to honor that…and besides, I like the way the rain feels when it's gentle like this."

"………"

"…Does that bother you for some reason?" Serinity inquired after a moment, noticing the thoughtful expression on Suezo's face. The eyeball monster shook his head, smiling a little as he glanced over at her.

"…Heh. I guess it just strikes me as a little strange that somebody so close to Golem would love the water so much, when the big guy himself…"

"Yes, I know that Golem is not entirely fond of water," Serinity agreed with a faint giggle, a soft smile coming to her face. However, it soon faded as she added, "But after all, he does have every right to be fearful. It may be true that water helps to sustain life, but it can also take it away all too easily. Believe me, I understand that all too well…"  


"What do you mean, Serinity?" Genki asked, his clear brown eyes filling with curiosity as he studied the pixie's face. She glanced over at him, studied his face for a moment, then nodded slightly.

"Well, it all began back when we were younger, long before the final battle," Serinity began, her green eyes becoming distant. "We were only children back then…"

  
* * *

Serinity giggled as she plunged into the cool waters of the lake, her laughter becoming a short gasp as she felt just how cold it was. It was far from freezing, of course, but it still was a sharp contrast to the warmth from the early summer sun.

She gasped as she quickly reemerged, sending droplets of water every which way as she thrust back her head and shook out her hair. The short reddish-orange locks were pulled back into a pair of ponytails just behind her cat-like ears, and they hung in damp curls behind her as she turned her bright green gaze towards a certain figure on the bank.

"Golem!" she called, and the young stone giant's head snapped up, his soft gray eyes wide with surprise. Then, spotting her bobbing along in the lake, her damp wings floating relaxed behind her, he smiled nervously and waved at her.

"Aren't you going to join us, Golem?" she inquired, her huge verdant eyes shining with invitation. However, when Golem cringed backward and shook his head violently, her smile faded slightly and curiosity filled her eyes.

"Why not?" she asked, cocking her head to one side as she studied her friend's expression.

"Yeah," Aqua Mew chimed in as he paddled lazily past Serinity, "What's wrong, Golem, are you scared of the water?"

A burning red tint spread over the stone giant's face, and he quickly looked down at the green grass beneath him. The feline monster grinned, a devilish glint coming into his wide aquamarine eyes.

"Aww-ww, is the big stone guy afwaid of a wittle wa-wa?" he taunted, then laughed again as Golem's face grew even redder.

Suddenly Aqua Mew's chuckling was choked off as Pink Hopper pounced onto his back and irritably shoved his head under the lake's surface. He only took a second to bring his head back up, sputtering and choking, and he turned a dark glare on the smaller monster.

"Don't tease poor Golem!" she scolded in her high-pitched voice, shaking one paw at him. "If he doesn't want to swim, then he doesn't have to swim! And you don't have any right to make fun of him 'cause of it!"

"Yeah, and besides, what would you do if he decided to do a cannonball into the lake?" Fly Eye quipped from his perch on a rock nearby.

The laughter that followed that remark lightened the mood considerably, and Aqua Mew obediently backed away from teasing Golem. However, the cat doll monster was hardly one to give up a subject so easily, and instead chose to focus his attention on someone else.

"Well, what about you?" he turned and asked Rocky Fur, catching the young stone rabbit off guard. Rocky was standing hesitantly at the water's edge, and he gave his friends an uncertain look.

"I don't know…I think I'll just stay here where it's dry and watch you guys swim," he replied after a moment's pause, grinning nervously.

"Oh, come on," Aqua Mew said petulantly, "Why don't you join us? We're gonna play Water Tag, but it's boring with only three…"

"Well, why can't we play normal Tag?" Rocky asked.

"What, in this heat?!? Thanks, but no thanks," Aqua Mew replied, swimming around in lazy circles even as he spoke.

"Come on, Rocky," Mustardy chimed in, popping up behind the gray rabbit. He placed both of his tiny clawed hands on the bunny's shoulders, and a sly grin appeared on his face as he added, "Why don't you go ahead and join them?"

"No, that's okay…" Rocky repeated, smiling nervously as he glanced over his shoulder at the yellow zuum hybrid.

Suddenly his eyes went wide with shock, and the stone rabbit windmilled his arms wildly as he fell forward, hitting the water with a huge splash. Serinity gasped and shielded her face as the waves sent everyone in the lake reeling for a moment. Golem and Fly Eye scrambled away from the bankside as the water splashed a little too close to them for comfort.

Mustardy was howling with laughter, a sly grin on his face as the others turned to stare at him in surprise.

"Now you're in!" he exclaimed triumphantly, winking at them.

Aqua Mew and Pink Hopper instantly burst out laughing, and Fly Eye started chortling to himself after a few seconds. Serinity joined in soon after the eyeball monster started up, giggling behind her hand, and even Golem smiled crookedly, laughing nervously along with them as they waited for Rocky to resurface and start yelling at Mustardy.

Only he didn't reappear right away.

As they waited, the seconds stretching into a minute, then two minutes, Serinity felt a cold lump of dread start to form deep inside her stomach. Aqua Mew hadn't taken this long to come back up again…

A sudden shout behind them caused her to turn around, and she blinked in confusion as she saw Balon racing up to them. There was a worried expression on the wolf's face, and he seemed to be glaring at Mustardy.

"What in the heck did you do that for, you jerk?!?" he snarled at the zuum hybrid. Mustardy gave him a lopsided grin, clearly not upset by his harsh tone of voice or the insult.

"What's the matter, did you want to cool off like that too?" he asked, chuckling to himself.

"You idiot!" Balon howled. "Don't you know that Rocky doesn't know how to swim?!?"

Mustardy's grin instantly faded, and the laughter that had been filling the air vanished like a flower under winter's first frost. The young monsters stared at each other in mute shock for a fleeting instant, and then full comprehension hit all of them at once.

"Go for help!" Balon ordered, even as the wolf dove into the lake near the spot where Rocky had fallen.

"R-right!" Fly Eye stammered, already turning and taking off towards the main village as fast as his single leg could carry him, screaming "Help! Help!" at the top of his lungs.

Serinity helped haul the stone rabbit's body onto the bank, pushing him from behind: _when had he become so heavy?_ Recalling vaguely something she had once overheard the elders talking about, she instructed the others to prop Rocky up against a stone near the lakeside, his belly against its hard surface. Placing her hands on his back, she pressed against him with all her might, trying to force the water out of his lungs.

She could barely get a response, even when Aqua Mew and Pink Hopper followed her example. Rocky's back remained as firm and unyielding to their efforts as the stone he leaned against. His face looked pale, an ashen gray, and his eyes remained closed in a way she found very alarming.

"Golem! Help!" she pleaded, casting a frightened glance over at her giant friend.

Golem nodded nervously, his gray eyes huge with alarm, and he hurried over to kneel beside her. Clumsily, fumbling a little bit as he tried to be gentle, he slapped Rocky Fur over the back once.

Immediately the gray rabbit's eyes shot open, and he let out a pained gasp as water gushed out of his gaping mouth. Coughing, sputtering, his long ears drooping over his ashen gray face, Rocky continued to spit out mouthfuls of water as the other young monsters sighed in relief. Dixie and some of the other elders were running toward them, Fly Eye leading them toward his friends, and Serinity turned to watch them approach, hoping they would arrive soon…

* * *

"…As it turned out, Rocky was okay," Serinity told the other rebels, looking toward them as she finished her story. "However, it was scary…it could have turned out the other way all too easily…"  


"…Geez," Colt sighed, letting out the breath she had been holding with a faint whoosh, "No wonder…"

"Well, at least everyone turned out okay," Genki commented, grinning reassuringly at the pixie hybrid. Serinity glanced over at the clear-eyed youth and smiled, faintly.

"I guess so, yes," she replied.

"Hey Serinity…there's been something I've been meaning to ask you," Suezo suddenly spoke up. The pixie blinked her wide green eyes and looked over at him.

"Yes, what is it?" she inquired politely.

Suezo did not answer right away; instead, he glanced quickly over at where Hare was curled up asleep, then over at where Mocchi lay with his head against Genki's side. After a moment, he nodded to himself and turned back toward the others.

"I've been wanting to know…just how close were you and Golem, anyway?" he asked, leaning forward slightly as he studied Serinity's expression closely.

"Huh? …Well, he and I were very good friends," Serinity replied after a second, giving Suezo a curious look as she added, "Why?"

"Oh, just wondering, just wondering," Suezo quickly replied, glancing away. After a few seconds, however, he glanced back out her out of the corner of his eye and added, "So you two were really close, then?"

"Oh, yes. Golem and I were very close to one another."

"Close as in… 'Just friends close' or close as in… you know… _'Close'_."

Serinity blinked in confusion, not understanding the course of the conversation. However, most of the others had apparently caught on. Holly's face burned bright red, and she coughed pointedly and glanced away in embarrassment, thankful that Hare and Mocchi were still fast asleep. Coltia and Grey Wolf seemed to be struggling with their own shock and discomfort at what Suezo was driving at, and their own veiled interest in the conversation. Scaler closed his eyes and continued to work on sharpening his blades, ignoring what the others were doing.

Genki, like Serinity, looked completely lost when it came to the whole thing.

"What do you mean, 'close'?" Serinity inquired, cocking her head to one side, then the other, birdlike.

"You know… 'Close'. Like, 'intimate'," Suezo qualified for her, and both Coltia and Grey Wolf quickly glanced away and cleared their throats, rather loudly. Serinity still didn't appear to understand.

"I'm afraid I still don't understand," she said, shaking her head. "I do know that Golem and I were very close… In fact…he and I…"

"Yeah?" Suezo urged as the pixie hybrid's voice trailed off, leaning a little closer to her, noting as he did that she was now blushing lightly. Coltia and Grey Wolf also noticed this, and drew forward a little as well, and Genki simply followed their example without really knowing why.

"Golem…sometimes we would go out together to see all the new flowers, right after they had bloomed," Serinity informed them, still blushing lightly as she nervously kneaded her slender fingers together. Her verdant eyes sparkled and her voice unconsciously dropped a little as she continued, "He used to tell me all sorts of things…about how pretty the new blossoms were, and how beautiful the blue sky was…and then he would lean in really close to me…and…"

"…A-and?" Suezo prompted, now leaning almost as far forward as he could to catch every whispering word. Holly was blushing intently and struggling to ignore the whole conversation, the same way that Scaler was working on his daggers without comment. Coltia was blushing too, but she was leaning forward with Grey Wolf and Genki, intent on hearing everything.

"…And then I'd put one of my flower chains around his neck," Serinity finished in a rush. She blushed as she added, "He always told me he liked those a lot…"

Suezo, Coltia, Grey Wolf and Genki promptly face-faulted.

"Is something wrong?" Serinity asked innocently, startled by their sudden trip.

"…N-nothing," Suezo replied, righting himself and turning away with a reddened face.

"Y-yeah, nothing," Coltia agreed, looking away with the others, hoping that none of them could see how intensely she was blushing.

"………" Holly just shook her head and sweatdropped.

"…???" Serinity looked around at them in complete confusion, not understanding just what was wrong with everyone. Why had they reacted in that manner…? All she had done was tell them the truth, what they wanted to hear…

"…Don't worry about it," Holly told her, giving the pixie hybrid a winsome smile as she explained, "That's just the way Suezo is sometimes. I mean, he always tends to act in ways that some people find…well… Like this one time when we were younger, back in our home village…"

"…Oh no, Holly, please don't start with that story…" Suezo whined, sweatdropping hugely as he whirled toward her.

"What story?" Genki asked eagerly, already leaning forward to listen. Suezo continued to protest behind him, even though he quickly realized that it would do little good…

* * *

"…Nine, ten! Ready or not, here I come!" Holly called, lifting her blocking hands away from her eyes and rapidly scanning the area around her for any sign of her friends. None of them were in sight, but that didn't discourage her in the slightest; in fact, she would have been a little disappointed if she had been able to spot any of them right away. As she ran forward, eager to begin the game, her friends ducked into their chosen hiding places and hoped that she would not find them until after the others had all been discovered.

A Blue Fur made certain that his long ears were folded back against his head instead of peeking out over the edge of the barrel. A violet eye peered out from behind a nearly closed doorway, hoping that her pale pink skin would not stand out in the darkness of the shadows. A lupine monster with tan, tawny fur crouched under a deck, his wide brown eyes twinkling with excitement.

Meanwhile, another participant in the game was quickly clambering into place, trying not to make any noise as he braced himself. Suezo could not help snickering to himself as he wrapped his tail around part of the chimney and hid behind it: the young eyeball monster was certain that he had found the perfect hiding spot this time.

"I'm sick of always being the first one that Holly finds," he muttered as he scanned the area below the rooftop. "I wanna prove I'm just as good at this as Rosa and the others!"

He tensed as he spotted Holly coming closer to the house, and quickly pulled himself back into place behind the chimney. His narrowed green-gold pupil glittered in the sunlight as he carefully peeked down at her, and slowly smiled as he noticed that she was not looking up in his direction.

Below him, the young girl was scanning the area around her intently, a frown of concentration on her pretty face. Her bronze eyes flickered from one potential hiding place to another: _Just where was that Suezo, anyway?_ Normally it didn't take her this long to find him; he didn't stray too far from wherever she happened to be…

Suddenly she noticed something that made her smile, and walked confidently forward, closer to the house. On the roof, Suezo began to freak out.

__

- Oh no! She saw me! What'll-I-do-what'll-I-do-what'll-I-DOOOO! -

"Got you!" Holly's voice called triumphantly far below him. Freezing in place, Suezo sweatdropped, then slowly peeked over the edge of the roof. The girl was bent down on her hands and knees and was reaching under the desk, and as she watched, a lupine head slowly emerged from beneath the porch.

"Err…hi," the Hare Hound said sheepishly, wagging his tail slightly as he grinned up at Holly.

The brown-furred wolf slunk out from his hiding spot, and as the two walked off together to find the others, Suezo found himself grinning in triumph. He hadn't been the first one found this time…and hopefully, he wouldn't be the second one found, or the third…he was going to win this time, he just knew it.

Chuckling to himself, the young eyeball monster clung to his perch on the roof, keeping an eye out for Holly and the others.

At first, he enjoyed watching them wander around in confusion, having found everyone else but him. He toyed with the idea of hopping down to join them, deliberately landing on Holly or Rosa's head before touching down safely on the ground. The others would all yell at him, and demand to know where he had been hiding, but ohhh no…he wouldn't tell them his little secret…

However, they wandered off before he could join them. That wasn't a problem, he supposed: they would come back this way eventually, double-checking the area one more time when he hadn't turned up anywhere else. After all, they wouldn't just give up on him…

__

- …Would they? -

Suezo quickly shook his head in an attempt to discard that notion. Surely Holly and the others would get worried about him if they didn't find him, and wouldn't give up until he finally turned up. He was Holly's monster, after all, and if all else failed, she would keep looking for him…

But as the day wore on, and the sky began to darken as the sun dropped behind the clouds, he found himself becoming more and more uncertain about this fact. A cold breeze swept over him as the afternoon faded into dusk, with no sign of Holly or his other friends. Fighting back a sniffle, he leaned forward in an attempt to see farther, hoping to catch a glimpse of them.

Suddenly his foot slipped, and Suezo cried out as he toppled forward over the edge of the roof. At the last moment, he managed to latch his tail over the side of the chimney, and found himself hanging upside down, his widened eye fixed on the ground that looked so far below him.

For a moment, all the young eyeball monster could do was stare down at the ground beneath him in shock, and then he did the only thing he could think to do…

"_HHHHHOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLYYYYY!_"

At first, he couldn't see any reaction to his wailing scream, and Suezo worried that nobody had overheard him. Then, a pair of wide bronze eyes appeared in his line of vision, peering up at him, and a soft, bemused smile formed on the youthful female face.

"Suezo? What are you doing up there?" Holly inquired, trying to hide her amusement at her friend's unusual position. Suezo just sniffled in reply, and she gently reached up towards him, saying, "Here, jump down. I'll catch you, I promise."

"A-are you sure?" Suezo sobbed, obviously not fully convinced. However, Holly simply continued to stand with her arms spread and ready in front of her, and after a few moments, the young eyeball monster gulped and let go of the side of the roof, falling safely into her grasp.

"Are you alright, Suezo?" she asked gently, cradling him in her arms. He simply stared up at her in silence for a minute, his green-gold eye wavering with tears.

"H-Holly…I-I thought you…"

"…Had given up on looking for you?" Holly supplied for him. "Oh Suezo…you're my best friend. I'd never abandon you, I promise…"

"…Holly…"

* * *

"…Aww, that was sweet. I wish I had a monster of my own," Coltia sighed, a dreamy look in her shining tan eyes. Suezo's face was bright red, and the eyeball monster glared over at Genki, who seemed to be struggling not to laugh.

"It wasn't funny," he grumbled under his breath. Scaler still appeared to be ignoring them, his cloaked back turned in their direction, but he abruptly muttered something quietly.

"What was that?!?" Suezo demanded, turning around to fix the scaled hare with a death glare. Scaler set down the blade he was sharpening in and turned his dark gaze toward the eyeball monster.

"I just said," he told them with a slightly superior smirk on his face, "that it sounds as though you have always been a bit of a weakling and a coward…"

He turned back to his work as Suezo fumed behind him. The eyeball monster seemed to be on the verge of getting up and storming over to challenge the green rabbit, and Holly sweatdropped hugely as she quickly restrained him.

"Calm down, Suezo," she pleaded, holding him back while the others watched and sweatdropped in unison.

"Humph," Suezo grumbled as he grudgingly sat back down beside Holly. "That Scaler is worse than Tiger was…"

"What is that supposed to mean?!?" Grey Wolf asked, narrowing his flashing blue eyes at Suezo. The eyeball monster stared over at the silver wolf in embarrassment, then quickly averted his gaze to the ground beneath him.

"Er…sorry about that, Grey Wolf…" he apologized meekly, sweatdropping.

Grey Wolf glared at him for a moment, then sighed and shook his head, settling back down.

"No, I'm sorry, Suezo," he said, giving him an understanding look. Gazing back into the dying flames of the campfire, the lupine monster continued, "Believe me, I know what Tiger normally acts like. He's pretty much always been like that…ever since we were little…"  
  
"Like what?" Coltia inquired, resting her head on the back of her folded hands as she leaned forward a little, curious. Beside her, Genki was in a similar position, and Serinity and Holly also looked interested, although they didn't show it as clearly as the others. Grey Wolf noticed this, and sweatdropped slightly, wondering just what he could tell them now. How could he possibly explain to them how his big brother acted…?

* * *

"There's one!"

A splash resounded through the crisp autumn air as two small lupine bodies lunged at the same area and ended up plunging headfirst into the river. They emerged at the same instant, thrusting their muzzles into the sky as a noisy gasp escaped from both of them.

"Damnit, it got away!" the slightly larger one cursed, his golden eyes flashing as he irritably shook out his blue mane, sending droplets of water flying everywhere. The smaller wolf chose not to comment on his brother's crude choice of words: he was also more than a little upset by the fish's escape.

"Don't worry, Tiger, we'll get them eventually!" Grey Wolf promised, shaking out his own soaked silver fur. He knew it was a pretty pointless thing to do, since both of them would undoubtedly get soaked again with their next attempt, but that didn't matter to him at the moment. Kind of like the way it didn't matter to him that his brother wouldn't pay any attention to his words of comfort…

"There's some more!" Tiger shouted abruptly, jolting Grey Wolf back to reality, and once again they both took the plunge into the icy waters of the river.

No matter how many times they tried this, Grey Wolf found he simply could not get used to fishing. He always felt as if he was going in blind; the water always seemed to sting his eyes when he dove in, and he would have to squeeze them shut in order to concentrate properly. Temporarily blinded, he forced his mouth to open, trying to ignore how the icy liquid rushed to try and fill his lungs, and make a few frantic snaps in a desperate attempt to catch one of the slippery fish as they swum past him.

This time, he was lucky: his jaws closed around something that jerked and tugged wildly, struggling to get away. Feeling a rush of triumph, he quickly righted himself and pulled his head out of the water, still clutching his prey between his jaws.

"Tiger! Tiger! I got something!" he shouted as best he could through clenched teeth, his blue eyes wide and shining with excitement as he looked around for his big brother. After a few moments, he found himself staring directly into Tiger's face: the blue wolf did not look at all pleased with his accomplishment, for some reason…

"Greyyyyy…tell me something…do you honestly think that fish have fur on their bodies?"

"…Huh?" Grey wondered aloud, sweatdropping a little as his catch twitched in his mouth. Now that Tiger mentioned it, he didn't remember ever seeing a fish that had fur…but then…why was it that…?

Then Grey Wolf abruptly understood. His face burned bright red, and he hastily opened his mouth and released Tiger's tail. Tiger yanked it away at once, and it lashed angrily behind him as he glared at his little brother. Grey Wolf bowed his head in submission and shame, his face still burning crimson beneath his fur.

"Sorry, big brother…" he whined, near tears.

Tiger glared at him for a moment more, then the blue wolf's harsh expression softened, and he looked away from his younger brother's face.

"…It looks like some more fish are headed this way," he commented after a few moments. "Get ready."

Grey Wolf brightened up, recognizing that he had been forgiven. Obediently, the younger lupine tensed up, and at Tiger's barked command, the two brothers dove into the icy waters again, taking another shot at it.  
  
* * *

"…Gah, Tiger was a jerk even when he was a puppy," Suezo noted under his breath.

Grey Wolf sighed; he hadn't expected the eyeball monster to understand. Glancing around, he noted that Coltia also looked a little confused, as if she had no idea what to make of that little story. However, he could tell by the slightly wistful expressions on Serinity and Holly's faces that they, at least, seemed to have some grasp of what he had been trying to tell them.

As for Genki…well, he couldn't quite read the clear-eyed boy's bemused expression, but he had a feeling that he might understand.

"…At any rate, perhaps we should be getting some sleep," Holly commented, glancing outside. The rain appeared to have cleared up, and was now merely a light drizzle, but the sky was completely dark. She could almost glimpse the moon shining outside in the cool night.

"…Yes, I think you're right," Serinity agreed, and the pixie turned to lie down, her wings wrapping themselves tightly around her body as she curled up in a comfortable position.

Genki yawned and stretched out his arms, being careful not to upset the already sleeping Mocchi who was leaning against him. Coltia cuddled up in her own blanket, her caramel eyes fluttering shut, and Grey Wolf curled up beside her.

Holly put out the campfire, then leaned against an already half-asleep Suezo as she stifled a yawn. Glancing over in Scaler's direction, she noticed that the green rabbit had already lain down on the ground, his leather cloak pulled tightly around his body, and supposed that he had fallen asleep on his own.

As her own tired bronze eyes drifted shut, Holly felt her gaze shift over to where Hare was curled up, sleeping quietly. The Phoenix's Tear had slipped out from under the folds of his kerchief, and was glowing faintly: crimson light, not that icy sapphire blue.

Again, she wondered what exactly had caused that…that terrible _memory_ to manifest itself like that. Why had it appeared to them? And why had Hare been affected so deeply? Why couldn't he seem to remember anything about it, now…?

Her questions went unanswered, and her eyes finally drifted shut as she surrendered herself to peaceful slumber. At least while she was asleep, she wouldn't have to worry about things like that…

* * *

__

A gentle hand caressed his cheek, and a pair of deep brown eyes gazed lovingly from a hauntingly familiar face. Most of its features were wreathed in shadow, yet he could still see those wide, liquid, luminous auburn eyes shining as they locked with his own.

A gentle smile, glimpsed briefly, and a lilting melody hummed softly as loving arms rocked him back and forth, back and forth…

* * *

Hare jolted awake as something brushed against his back, and he sat up with a start. Whirling around, he sighed as he saw that Genki had rolled over in his sleep; the boy's arm had fallen over and accidentally hit him.

With a sigh of annoyance, Hare stood up and moved away from the others, moving as quietly as possible so he wouldn't accidentally wake any of them up. As he stepped past them, he looked over at where Scaler was curled up, at the opposite end of the cave. Maybe the green rabbit had the right idea, sleeping so far away from the others…

…But, on the other hand…

__

* I don't wanna ever be alone again… *

He sighed again, his brown eyes wavering as his thoughts drifted back to his dream. Gently, without even realizing it, he brushed the tips of his fingers against his cheek, thinking for a moment that it was still warm from the lingering touch of that ethereal paw…

__

* …Mommy…? *

A tear brimmed in the corner of one eye, but Hare didn't notice it. He decided to step outside for a few moments to get some fresh air: the rain had ceased, and he didn't feel much like sleeping right now.

The cool night air seemed to wrap around him the moment he stepped outside, and a soft breeze ruffled his fur, setting his auburn bangs to dancing. A whispering, lilting melody seemed to murmur in his ear, the same nearly formless song that someone had been singing in his dream…

…Someone…maybe…

Hare absently retrieved his flute from where he had stored it in his traveling pack, and raising it carefully to his lips, began to play the same song.

At first, the tune was weak, trembling, starting out very slowly, cautiously, uncertain. However, it soon gained in strength as the young rabbit closed his wavering eyes and let the music carry itself, allowing it to rise and fill the air around him, shutting out the painful world of reality for at least a few moments.

__

* Let me forget…for just a little while… *

__

* Forget…and remember…her…everything… *

__

* …Please… *


	9. Venom

* * * Episode Nine: 

* * * Episode Nine: Venom * * *

"Come on, people, rise and shine! It's a beautiful new day; let's get going so we can find the others!"

A chorus of groans met Genki's shout, but this did not disturb the clear-eyed boy in the slightest. He fairly bounced off the cave walls as he shouted, "Come on, everyone, work with me here! We need to get moving so we can find Golem and Tiger as fast as we can! Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!"

"…Is he always this energetic in the mornings?" Serinity asked Hare in a whispering voice; never quite taking her eyes off the boy as he continued to bound around and call for the other searchers to awaken.

Hare just nodded in reply, sweatdropping hugely and silently thankful that he had already been up before Genki had awakened. Serinity had gotten up shortly before the boy had, and she watched him in wide-eyed interest as he attempted to arouse the others, not quite certain what to make of this spectacle.

"Grey Wolf! Holly! Colt! Mocchi! Scaler! Suezo!" Genki yelled at the top of his lungs, and both Hare and Serinity sweatdropped at how loud the boy was being. If there were any baddies nearby, it was very likely that they would have overheard that…

Scaler was muttering something, and Hare caught a glimpse of steel flashing briefly in one of the green rabbit's paws as he slowly stood up, leather cloak billowing around him. Hare rapidly stepped over and distracted the scaled hare, not wanting to know just why he had chosen to draw one of his daggers for a moment.

Meanwhile, Holly and Coltia were yawning as they slowly awakened, and Grey Wolf stretched his body out in an almost cat-like manner, arching his back for a moment. Mocchi rubbed sleepily at his barely open eyes with one hand, and Holly helped the pink monster to his feet. Suezo was curled up with his back to Genki, obviously attempting to ignore the boy.

"Suezo! Suezo! SUEZO!" Genki shouted again and again, giving the eyeball monster a violent shake.

When that failed, he clambered over Suezo's body and began to pull at his eyelid, trying to pry it open. A huge vein appeared on the back of the eyeball monster's head.

"That's it!" Suezo suddenly exclaimed, and he suddenly sprang up and attempted to swat Genki's arm. However, Genki sprung backward, and stuck his tongue out at the fuming eyeball monster.

"Nyah, nyah! You missed!" he teased.

"Gennn-kiii!" Suezo growled, nearly lunging at the boy. Holly and Colt quickly caught at him, and sweatdropped hugely as they attempted to hold the upset monster back from attacking Genki.

"Let's just get going, Suezo," Holly told him, calming her friend down. Looking over at Genki, she added, "You know, Genki, you really should learn how to control yourself in the morning."

"What? What'd I do?" Genki inquired, apparently not understanding what had made the others so upset. Seeing this, Holly and Suezo just sighed in frustration.

"Never mind…" Suezo groaned, standing up and hopping past the confused youth. "Let's just get going…"

Genki gave him a strange look, then shrugged the occurrence off. Running past the others, he stopped at the entrance of the cave and turned to glance back at them. With a cocky smile on his face, he winked and pumped one fist in the air.

"All right! Let's go find the others!" he cheered.

"All right!" Coltia echoed, caught up by Genki's spirit. Mocchi cheered his agreement, and latched onto Genki's backpack once more. The clear-eyed youth grinned, then spun around and was outside in a flash, the other searchers racing along after him.

* * *

A smirk creased thin, pale blue lips and reptilian eyes gleamed as Aqua Cutter studied the road that spread before him from the cover of the bushes. The baddie was confident that his new plan would work; all he had to do was wait. He knew that this road led to the nearest village, and that the rebels would come this way soon. They would come of their own accord, walking straight into his trap…

His smirk became a sneer, and his talons clenched tighter around a handful of small, gleaming objects that were at his side. He closed his claws around them tightly, not wanting to prick his hand on any of the sharp objects. That would not be a good thing, since they were not intended for him…

__

Come on, rebels, Aqua Cutter urged silently, his dark eyes glinting crimson briefly in the shadows of the underbrush. _Come, and face me here, now!_

* * *

Genki hummed a merry tune under his breath as he marched along in front of the other searchers, a huge grin on his face. He was obviously in a very good mood, one that was beginning to affect the other travelers as well. Coltia was attempting to pick up the melody and whistle it along with the boy, the way that Mocchi already had.

Hare laughed quietly, trying to act as energetic and upbeat as those three, but was finding it a rather difficult task. Although the melody bore no resemblance whatsoever to the song he had heard in his dream and later echoed on his flute, it reminded him of it nonetheless. In fact, that same haunting tune was playing silently in his own mind, an odd contrast to the trio's ditty.

"I believe that there is a town just a short ways down the road from here," Scaler commented after a second, interrupting Genki, Coltia and Mocchi just as they were really getting into their little improvised tune. "Are were planning on stopping there tonight?"

"I hope so," Coltia commented before Holly or Genki could answer. "I'd really like to sleep in a real bed tonight, instead of a cave again…"

"Hey, you get what you can," Grey Wolf informed her, his blue eyes shining with faint amusement as he regarded the hopeful girl.

"Yes," Serinity agreed, nodding. Then, with a shrug, she added, "Of course, while I personally don't mind sleeping outside, I'm also quite used to it…"

"And I'm not," Coltia finished for her, shooting the other rebels a pleading look.

"You'll have to get used to it sooner or later," Suezo told her, adopting an expression that seemed to say, 'Listen to me, kiddo, I've done this sort of thing for a lot longer than you have'.

"Oh, and are you saying that you'd rather sleep outside tonight, then, Suezo?" Genki teased, grinning impishly at the eyeball monster over his shoulder. "Oh well, suit yourself! I guess that means you won't be joining us at the inn, then!" 

"What?!?" Suezo blurted, looking startled. "Hey, now, Genki, don't you even think for a second…"

But Genki had already bounded ahead, laughing back at Suezo, and the other searchers were already darting after the boy. The eyeball monster could only chase after them, shouting angrily at the clear-eyed youth.

"Catch us if you can, Suezo!" Genki challenged, and Mocchi laughed agreement from where he clung to the boy's backpack. Coltia was also giggling wildly, caught up by their enthusiasm, and even Holly looked like she was enjoying herself as she chased after the others.

"This is almost like the games of Tag we used to play in the valley," Serinity commented, gliding alongside Grey Wolf. The silver lupine glanced over at her and nodded to show that he had heard her clearly, then smiled as he turned his attention back to the winding road ahead of them.

As they rounded a bend in the road, Genki and Coltia sprinted ahead of the others, and the boy glanced back over his shoulder and grinned. Mocchi was laughing excitedly as he continued to hang onto his friend's back, and Hare smiled as he noticed this.

Suddenly he froze in place as he felt a sudden warmth flare underneath his kerchief, and he immediately knew that the Phoenix's Tear was reacting to something. Startled, he stopped short and began to look around, wondering what it could be.

"Genki, Mocchi, Colt, wait a second," he warned, but they had already run ahead and were ignoring him.

However, Holly, Serinity, Scaler and Grey Wolf had all noticed that he had stopped running, and paused to look back at him in surprise.

"Hare?" Holly asked, seeing the strange expression on the bunny's face. "What's wrong?"

Serinity's curious look asked the same question, but Scaler and Grey Wolf did not bother to add their voices to the query as well. They could tell by the look in Hare's wavering brown eyes just what was bothering him.

Slowly, Scaler drew one of his swords, the steel blade glinting briefly in the sunlight as it emerged from the dark folds of his leather cloak. Holding it at the ready, he edged a little closer to Hare, until the younger rabbit's body was partially hidden by his own tense form.

Growling deep in his throat, the silver wolf turned around and scanned the area, his cold blue eyes flicking from side to side. After a few moments, his gaze suddenly shifted in time to catch a flash of light through a veil of twisted branches, and his eyes widened.

"Look out!" he warned, and he knocked Genki and Coltia roughly to the ground as something small and silvery streaked over their heads. He heard Mocchi cry out in shock as he toppled off of Genki's back, and Coltia choked back a gasp of pain as she landed in a very uncomfortable position.

"Oh! Are you okay?" Serinity exclaimed, starting to glide toward them.

"No! Wait!" Holly shouted, catching the pixie hybrid's foot and yanking her roughly to the ground as another streak of strange steely light nearly took Serinity full in the chest.

Cruel laughter rang out through the air, and the searchers whirled to see Aqua Cutter now standing in the brush he had used for his cover. His narrow eyes gleamed with crimson light, and a triumphant sneer creased his thin blue lips.

"Well, that was easy," he commented, leering at the rebels. Locking eyes with Hare, he let his smirk widen into a grin, baring his fangs. Hare winced backward involuntarily, and Scaler immediately stepped forward, blocking the naga hybrid's path.

"Don't even think it," Grey Wolf snarled, his white teeth flashing as he bared them in a snarl, and the lupine monster stepped in front of the other searchers.

Aqua Cutter just ignored this, the same knowing smirk remaining on his face as he studied them. After a few moments, he made a sudden motion with one hand, and a small steel dart appeared in his talons.

"Do you see this? It's a poisoned dart; one of many that I created for the sole purpose of ambushing you rebels. It's a very potent venom, as well: once it enters your system, you'll be dead in a day or so," he gloated, enjoying the shocked expressions on the faces of his opponents.

"How…how could you…?" Serinity gasped, widened verdant eyes wavering with fear.

"Don't worry your pretty little head," Aqua Cutter taunted her, his dark eyes glowing crimson as he appeared to stare directly through the folds of Scaler's cloak into Hare's pale face. "I have the antidote, and I'm willing to trade it…in exchange for the Phoenix's Tear and the little rabbit, of course."

In response, Scaler's paws blurred and his cloak swung about him as a long-bladed dagger streaked toward the naga hybrid. Aqua Cutter's eyes widened slightly with surprise, and he quickly dodged out of the way, only to nearly be hit by a blast of ice blue electrical energy.

"Jeez, I make a offer to you to save your friends, and you attack me?" he taunted, one eyeridge arched with exaggerated indignation. Scaler threw another knife at him in reply, but the naga hybrid simply sidestepped it and smirked at him. A cold black light began to pulse around him, and as his body faded away, he locked his glittering gaze with Hare's wavering brown eyes one last time.

"I'll leave you for now, but you should think about my offer," he advised them, leering at the rebels even as he was teleported away by his master's power. "I'll be waiting…"

"Damned coward," Scaler cursed through gritted teeth.

"Genki, are you okay?" Grey Wolf asked, turning a worried look on the boy. Genki picked himself off the ground and nodded, helping a trembling Coltia to her feet.

"I think so…I think he missed me, 'cause I didn't feel anything hit me," he replied, checking himself over as he did.

"Yeah…yeah, same here. I didn't feel anything except Grey Wolf hitting us when he knocked us out of the way," Coltia added, even as she looked herself over just to make certain. Thankfully, nothing came to her searching eyes, and she sighed in relief, then turned to face the others.

"Hey, we were lucky!" Genki laughed nervously, trying to lighten the mood.

Suddenly, Serinity let out a shriek, and all the rebels jerked and whirled to face her. However, she failed to notice this, for her wavering verdant eyes were fixed on something that took her undivided attention. Ignoring how Holly made a startled grab at her shoulder, she ran forward a few steps and crumpled to her knees beside something that was lying on the dusty road…

Hare screamed, his eyes going huge with horror, and he dashed over to help her. Bending down beside her, he reached down and helped her turn over the figure lying beside her. Holly's hands flew like frightened birds to cover her mouth, and she mouthed a silent protest as the other rebels gasped.

Genki's clear eyes widened in sudden comprehension, and for a terrible moment, he simply stood in mute shock, staring at Mocchi's pale, stricken face, much paler than he had ever seen it before. Then he saw the silvery dart that Hare was yanking out of the smaller monster's side, and the small pool of crimson liquid that stained the dirt beneath his shuddering figure…

* * *

Genki could not remember clearly just how they had gotten to the town: events blurred together in his mind. The next moment that he had full awareness of what was happening around him came crashing down upon him as he watched the other searchers mill around the waiting room.

Colt was pacing around, hands clasped behind her back, her brow furrowed and caramel eyes shining with near-tears. Holly was struggling not to watch her, her wavering bronze gaze instead focused on the floorboards beneath the bench where she was sitting with Suezo. Grey Wolf was curled up at her feet, his ice blue eyes fixed on the door a few feet away from them.

It creaked open, and Genki jerked to face it, struggling to hide the tears that wavered in his clear brown eyes. Serinity stepped into view, her bangs falling over and shading her downcast eyes. Slowly, she raised her gaze to meet the questioning looks of the others, biting the edge of her lip.

"Genki…" she started, faltering, not knowing what she could say. Her hands were clasped in front of her, her fingers kneading against one another, and she seemed at a loss for words. The others did not need to ask to know what she wanted to tell them, but could not bring herself to say.

After an awkward moment, she turned around and motioned for them to follow. Genki got to his feet first, and the other searchers filed silently after him as they walked down the darkened hall to another room.

Hare looked up from where he was kneeling next to the bed as the door opened, and his wavering brown eyes instantly locked with Genki's own and darkened with sympathy. He quickly averted his gaze again, bowing his head so that his dark brown bangs shaded his face and hid his expression.

"Genki…"

The youth did not reply, his gaze locked on the small figure that lay shivering under the thin bedsheets, struggling not to cry. Hare's voice trailed off helplessly, and he silently moved aside to allow Genki to crouch beside him. As if in a daze, Genki walked over and kneeled down. With a trembling hand he reached out and stroked the pale, clammy cheek of the bed's occupant: Mocchi moaned softly and shuddered as his trainer touched him as gently as he could.

"…So you aren't able to heal him?" Holly inquired quietly, keeping her voice low so only Serinity could hear her. The pixie hybrid sighed, then, hesitantly, nodded ever so slightly.

"…I…I'm afraid not," she replied in a voice even softer than her normal tone, her expression mostly veiled by her bangs. "Hare and I tried to combine our healing powers, but…even when we used our spells together…it just isn't enough… The poison's way too strong. We just can't…I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…"

"You tried your hardest," Holly told her consolingly, although she could tell her words had little effect.

"We looked everywhere in town to see if we could find a doctor who could help us or some sort of cure," Grey Wolf added in a subdued tone. The glum expression on his face indicated just how successful those efforts had been.

"This is just awful…isn't there anything we can do for him?" Coltia pleaded, looking around at the other rebels in desperation.

"The only real effect our healing spells seemed to have was that they appeared to take some of his pain away," Serinity offered quietly after a few moments of silence. "That's all we can really do, right now…"

"………" Genki glanced over at them, his wavering clear brown eyes still shadowed by his unruly brown bangs. He squeezed Mocchi's hand a little tighter.

"…Genki…" Hare whispered, noticing this action. The boy did not reply, and Hare sighed silently as he returned his attention back to pouring healing energy into the pink monster. He understood that it was doing little good, but refused to simply stop because of that. He had to keep trying, to do _something…_

"…I hate this!" Suezo suddenly shouted, shattering the silence that had fallen over the searchers once more. "I hate feeling so helpless about this! There's nothing we can do?!?"

"…We can still be here for him," Hare spoke up, glancing over at the eyeball monster. Suezo glared back at the rabbit.

"Like that's really helping the poor kid out," Suezo snarled, his green-gold pupil darkening with anger. "Is that all the advice you can offer?!?"

Hare could not answer, and shifted uncomfortably as he lowered his gaze back to the floor. After a moment, Suezo snorted contemptuously.

"Some great help you're being," the eyeball monster hissed, shaking his head in disbelief. "Even with the Phoenix's Tear, you're still unable to do anything to save him?! You're even more useless now than that time when Holly got poisoned!"

Hare jerked as if he had been slapped, and whirled to stare at Suezo. The other searchers were all shocked into silence, unable to believe what the eyeball monster had just shouted. Suezo, too, looked startled, like he had not meant to go that far.

"…Uh…" the eyeball monster stammered, glancing around quickly as if in search of a quick escape route, a way to lessen the impact of his angry shout. "…I-I…"

It was too late; it was obvious from the hurt look in Hare's widened brown eyes that the accusation had already done its damage. He stood up awkwardly, never looking away from Suezo's face, and stood there trembling before the others, eyes slowly filling with tears. Then, suddenly, a loud sob escaped from him as he broke past the other rebels and ran out of the room.

"He-Hey, Hare!" Coltia shouted, and she took off after him.

Serinity and Holly were about to follow, but a sudden clamor behind them caused them to pause and look backward. Scaler, who had been watching the entire scene unfold before him in stoic silence, had abruptly leapt to his feet with an outraged shout, and was attacking Suezo savagely, punching the eyeball monster in and around his face.

"You idiot! How dare you say such a thing about him! Can't you see he's only a child? Haven't you seen that he's been doing all he can?!?"

Suezo was barely resisting, and almost seemed to be allowing Scaler to strike him over and over again in the face. Thankfully, the green rabbit had not drawn any of his blades yet, although that didn't lessen the fury of his attacks any.

"Suezo! Stop it, Scaler!" Holly shouted, trying to pull her partner out of harm's way without getting struck herself. Grey Wolf and Genki struggled to help her by holding the scaled hare back, and he pulled against them.

"Stop it! Please, just stop! Attacking each other will solve nothing!" Serinity pleaded, verdant eyes wavering as she watched the fighting helplessly from where she kneeled beside Mocchi.

"He started it by insulting Hare!" Scaler insisted, still attempting to beat the eyeball monster. As Genki and Holly clung to his arms, holding him back as best he could, he leveled a dark glare at Suezo, violet-brown eyes burning with accusation.

* * *

"Hare? Hare, are you alright?" Coltia inquired meekly, knocking on the closed door before her.

"Go away! Leave me alone!" a muffled voice shouted in reply, and Hare buried his face deeper into his folded arms as he huddled in a corner of the darkened room.

"I know what Suezo said was really mean, but hiding isn't going to solve anything!" Coltia insisted, shaking her head in both frustration and sympathy. She understood why the little rabbit was so upset; he had every right to be mad, but still…to just hole himself up in one of the other rooms they had rented for the night…

"Look, Hare, I'll be waiting right outside if you need me," she offered finally. "If you want to talk to someone, I'll be right here…"

No reply came to that, and Coltia sighed as she sat down in front of the closed doorway and settled down, trying to make herself comfortable. She didn't know how long she might end up here…

Inside the room, Hare continued to sob into his folded arms, ignoring the girl's offer completely. After a few moments, however, he quieted down, and slowly looked up, his wavering brown eyes drawn to the window. Outside, he could clearly see the stars against the darkened night sky: more time had passed than he had originally thought while Serinity and he and been struggling to heal Mocchi…

__

* I wonder how much longer poor Mocchi's going to suffer before… *

Shaking his head violently, Hare struggled to dispel that sort of dark thinking, and failed utterly. As he continued to stare silently out the window, a few more stray tears squeezed out of his eyes and trickled down his cheeks, and a deep sigh escaped from him.

* * *

The other rebels had finally managed to separate Scaler and Suezo, and convinced the green rabbit not to go forward with his murder attempt. However, that promise failed to prevent him from glaring daggers at the eyeball monster, his narrowed violet-brown eyes smoldering.

Not that Suezo felt like he could blame him for that, however. The eyeball monster already was feeling horrible about what had happened.

__

I can't believe I said that to him! He berated himself silently, staring down at the floor to avoid looking any of the others directly in the eyes. _I'm such an idiot…how could I say something like that to him, especially after I…_

His green-gold pupil darkened as his felt his mind slip back to something that he never wanted Holly or any of the others to find out about. Something he had done back before this journey had started, during those early months of peace, that he knew would only make them even more upset with him…

* * *

Suezo sighed in frustration as he peeked out of the window and saw Hare and Mocchi playing out, roughhousing as usual. The fact that the two younger monsters were playing together didn't bother him in the least; but did they have to be so darn noisy about it? SOME monsters were trying to get some extra sleep…mainly, him…

But the commotion outside was too loud for him to get any rest right now, so Suezo reluctantly gave up on that idea. Yawning hugely, he swung around and, eyelid still drooping shut over his foggy green-gold pupil, lazily hopped toward the door. Maybe if he found Holly, he'd be able to help her out with something quiet. Maybe she needed help with cooking or something…

Abruptly his foot landed on something that rolled the moment he stepped on it, and his eye snapped open as he let out a yelp of surprise, finding himself flying through the air and landing with a thud on his back.

For a minute, the eyeball monster simply lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling as his head throbbed painfully. Then, a huge vein appeared on the back of his head, and he leapt back up, grumbling to himself about his rotten luck. As he started to hop forward again, his foot brushed briefly against something small and rectangular.

"…Eh?" Suezo glanced down to see a small book lying on the floor before him. Looking around, he realized with a start that it had fallen out of Hare's traveling bundle: he had tripped over the pole and knocked it over, and the book had tumbled out. Leaning over, he peered down at the handwriting scribbled on its red-tinted cover, and his green-gold pupil went small with surprise. He recognized what this was…

"Hare keeps a diary?" he murmured to himself, his eyebrow raising higher.

As he stared down at the small journal, his curiosity screamed at him to take this opportunity, while another part warned him off. After all, it wouldn't be right for him to just invade Hare's privacy like this…

__

- But if, say, it just happened to come open when it fell over, and I just happened to get a glimpse of what was written on that page… -

Quickly glancing around to make certain no one else was coming, Suezo picked up the small book and set it down on the nearby desk. Then he 'accidentally' bumped his side against the table, knocking the journal off.

"Whoops," he said sarcastically, quickly leaning down to find the book. His eager expression dropped into a frown, however, when he saw that the latch had remained shut.

"Oh clumsy me, I…oops!" he muttered, picking it up and immediately dropping it again. Looking down and seeing that it was still closed, he grimaced, then growled, "Oh, the heck with this," and opened it.

Bending down, Suezo quickly began to scan the writing on the pages before him. It only took him a moment to figure out when this had been written: at the very top of the page Hare had written, in huge, triumphant letters, _Gali was defeated!!!_

The eyeball monster smirked, remembering how elated everyone had been after they had beaten the second general of Moo's army. However, his smile soon faded as his gaze traveled to the words below it:

__

~ I'm thrilled that Gali's finally gone, but to tell the truth, I'm also a little scared. Okay, maybe I mean 'really scared'. Now that he's out of the way, that leaves just two members of the Big Bad Four, and I honestly don't know if I can face either of them. Naga will be bad enough, but when you add in him… ~

__

~ Poor Tiger. I just can't bring myself to tell him. Believe me, I was shocked enough when I found out he was related to him… How could I possibly let him know that…his little brother… ~

__

~ Then, of course, there's the fact that he'd demand to know where I got this information. I've been lucky so far…neither Pixie or Gali recognized me when they saw me, though I'm certain they would have if I hadn't been using the Phoenix's Tear to make myself look like an adult… ~

__

~ I don't like deceiving the others, but what else can I do? If they knew the truth…if they knew who I really am… ~

"………" Suezo was suddenly beginning to feel really dirty. He was painfully aware of the fact that he was intruding upon Hare's most private thoughts and feelings, yet he couldn't tear his attention away from the pages before him.

His gaze traveled against his will further down the page; here, the handwriting became more jagged, uneven, and there were odd stained spots that looked like what falling tears might do to paper. A cold feeling twisting deep in his stomach, Suezo nonetheless read on:

__

~ I HATE MYSELF! I HATE EVERYTHING ABOUT ME! I HATE WHAT I HAVE TO BE LIKE WITH MY FRIENDS! ~

__

~ Holly's poisoned and it's all my fault. My fault my fault my fault MY fault my FAULT MY FAULT!!! The Black Worms shot her poisoned her and its my fault I couldn't save her I cant save her I cant I cant I cant heal her because the stupid Phoenixs Tear doesn't work on POISON!!! ~

__

~ If only I'd been hit instead of her then we wouldn't have any problems anymore…if only… ~

Then Suezo gasped, for scribbled beneath these words was a crude sketch that nearly caused his heart to stop. The picture looked hastily drawn, as if created on an impulse, but the eyeball monster immediately recognized what it represented nonetheless. It clearly showed a Black Worm, its body shaded roughly, launching a poison dart from its tail.

And the dart was burying its point directly in the shoulder of a small figure with long ears and a simply drawn bandanna…

A door banged on its hinges somewhere beneath him, and Suezo froze as he heard its sharp retort.

"Hang on, Mocchi, I'll be right back!" Hare's voice called from downstairs. "I just want to get something from upstairs, okay?"

Suezo panicked, and for the moment the journal was forgotten as he frantically looked around for some means of escape. He could hear footsteps pounding up the steps entirely too fast for his comfort, and he finally scrambled into the closet, closing the door behind him. His heart pounded in his chest as he carefully peeked out through the bare sliver he had left open.

A few seconds later, the door to the room swung open, and Hare came into the room.

"Okay, now where did I put that…huh?"

Hare stopped short and stared in surprise at the small journal still sitting on the floor, his brown eyes going wide.

"What in the…what's this doing out?" he stammered, and quickly picked it up, closing it at once. Looking around in confusion, he sighed as he noticed how his traveling pack had fallen over.

"So that's it…it must have fallen out when that tipped over," he said, and he walked over and set it pack against the wall, securing it this time. Glancing down at the journal in his paws, the little rabbit let out a soft sigh, and murmured, "It's a good thing none of the others found this…I'd hate to think of what they'd do if they ever got a chance to read it…"

He replaced it in the bundle, making certain it was tightly secured this time, then turned around and crossed the room again. Glancing around one final time, he scanned the small bedroom and sighed.

"I thought that it was in here…wonder where that went…?" he mused aloud.

Then, shaking his head in confusion, Hare walked out, leaving the room silent for several moments.

Suezo held his breath as he listened to the sound of the rabbit's footsteps growing fainter and fainter, until he was certain that Hare was not coming back in. Then, he let out his breath with a whoosh, slumping against the back of the closet wall. His green-gold eye grew distant, solemn, as his thoughts drifted back to what he had read. A cold shiver ran down his back, as his mind called up unbidden an image of the picture he had seen…

* * *

The door into the room banged on his hinges, snapping Suezo out of his reverie, and he looked up along with the others as a panting Coltia burst into the room.

"Colt, what…?" Holly started to ask, half rising.

"You guys," Coltia cried, her caramel eyes wide with terror, "Hare is missing!"

"What?!" Scaler snarled, whirling on the girl with his dark eyes flashing. Coltia flinched backward, wincing, then turned toward the other shocked rebels.

"I got bored waiting for him to come out and talk to me, so I opened the door, and he wasn't in the room anymore!" she explained, nearly frantic as she added, "I looked all over for him, but he wasn't there!"

"…Genki!" Holly exclaimed, giving the boy a horrified look as comprehension dawned on her.

Genki had frozen where he stood, his clear eyes filled with shock as he stared at Coltia. Mocchi coughed slightly and stirred on the bed, and as Serinity gripped his hands, the boy looked over at them. Recognition sparked in his eyes, and as conflicting emotions of horror and outrage fought to control his expression, his hands slowly balled into trembling fists at his sides.

"I'm going to go find him, everyone!" he called over his shoulder as he sprinted out the doorway.

"Not without me, you're not!" Scaler called, directly behind him. Grey Wolf was halfway through the door when he paused and glanced back at the others in the room.

"The rest of you should stay here in case he comes back," the silver wolf instructed, his tone leaving little room for argument. "We'll be back as soon as we can!"

Then, he whirled around and was gone, leaving Holly, Serinity, Coltia and Suezo alone with the barely conscious Mocchi to wait nervously for their return.

* * *

Hare panted softly as he sprinted forward, his brown eyes filled with determination as they remained locked on the road before him. The crescent moon had already risen, casting shadows over the winding path, reflecting its light off of some of the tiny pebbles that lined the road, making them sparkle for fleeting instants. It also lent its glow to the waters of the river, cresting its ripples with silver.

It was a beautiful night, but Hare did not notice or care.

__

* Don't worry, gang, I'm not going to let you or Mocchi down! I'm going to find a way to save him…no matter what it takes… *

A small field seemed to open up before him, and Hare skidded to a halt. Taking a few deep breaths to recover from his sprinting and also in an attempt to calm his wildly beating heart, he gave the area a quick once-over. The valley seemed to be completely empty, save for himself, yet Hare could sense a dark presence nearby, watching him from the shadows of the night.

"Aqua Cutter! I'm right here, so come and get me!" he challenged, fists clenched tightly at his sides.

For a few moments, no reply came. Then, a husky, hissing laughter began to sound, filling the air. Hare tensed, then spun around to face its source as it stepped out of the concealing shadows into the moonlight.

"I knew that you would come, little rabbit," Aqua Cutter informed him, arms folded triumphantly across his chest, a sly smirk on his reptilian face. His medallion glittered with the same cruel sparkle in his narrow eyes as he asked, "Are you ready to surrender yourself to me now?"

"On one condition," Hare replied, and the naga hybrid arched one eye ridge at the bunny in surprise and amusement.

"A condition? I think you fail to see who is in charge here," the baddie taunted, his cocky sneer growing wider. "Still, go ahead. I'll hear you out, I suppose. This might be good for a laugh."

"You said that you would exchange the antidote for the Phoenix's Tear and myself. However, I have no way of knowing at this point whether or not this is true. For all I know, you may capture me, then give the others a fake cure or something."

Aqua Cutter just nodded, still smirking as he nonchalantly commented, "Ah. So you don't trust me."

"Hey, I may be a kid, but I'm not naïve," Hare retorted, and the baddie simply nodded again, leering at the young bunny.

"So? Your point?" the snake monster prodded, eyeing him.

"So I want you to prove that you really have this cure of yours. I want you to show me that it works by giving me a little demonstration."

"Let me guess…on one of your little friends?" Aqua Cutter leered.

However, Hare shook his head, and the young rabbit smirked slightly as he locked eyes with his enemy and placed his paw against his own chest.

"No," he informed the baddie, "I meant on me."

That got Aqua Cutter's attention; the reptilian nearly toppled over from shock.

"Use your poison on me," Hare continued nonchalantly, ignoring the naga hybrid's surprise, "and then use your 'antidote' to heal me. I know you have more of your poison: you had a great deal of it prepared for your attack, much more than what you used. And don't try telling me you only have enough medicine for one dose, either: it was obvious you planned to hit more than one of us during your attack."

"…And what will you do if my antidote does turn out to be a sham?" Aqua Cutter inquired, arching one eye ridge as he studied Hare's calm expression. "You will die…"

"That'll be your problem," Hare shot back, a faint smile on his face as he added, "After all, it's obvious that your master wants me to be brought back to him alive. If you poison me with your little venom, and fail to give me a cure in time…I doubt that your leader will be too pleased with your failure. He would see the situation as being entirely your fault…"

"…You're right," Aqua Cutter concluded after a moment, bowing his head to show submission without taking his narrowed eyes off of where Hare stood before him. "I do have orders to bring you to my master alive."

He drew out a small, glittering object, and from a distance Hare recognized it as being similar to the dart that had struck Mocchi earlier. He stepped closer, slowly approaching the serpent monster, watching him intently.

"So? Let's get this little test over with," Hare prompted when he was standing just out of arm's reach.

Aqua Cutter smirked, and abruptly the poisoned dart dropped out of his hand and fell to the ground harmlessly. Before Hare could react, the baddie brought his fist surging up in a motion almost too swift to glimpse, and it slammed directly into the startled rabbit's chest.

Hare gasped painfully as the air was forcefully driven out of his lungs, and for an instant his world became a blur. He was only dimly aware of his enemy's voice, whispering softly into one ear.

"I have orders to bring you in alive…but not necessarily uninjured…"

Too stunned to make a coherent reply, Hare felt his mouth work soundlessly for a moment, then finally managed a soft gasp as he slumped to the ground. The world blurred before his eyes; he knew that Aqua Cutter was still somewhere nearby, standing above him, but he couldn't judge exactly where.

Aqua Cutter smirked as he watched the little rabbit crumple to the ground, his narrowed eyes glinting with red light for an instant. After Hare had folded over, arms wrapped tightly around his aching chest, the baddie reached down to seize him, knowing that the bunny could no longer see where he was at.

A stiletto suddenly flashed out of the shadows of the night and buried itself up to its hilt in the back of his outstretched hand. Snarling, Aqua Cutter yanked it back toward his chest and pulled the thin blade out. As it clattered to the dirt road, the baddie whirled around to face his assailants.

"Hare! Are you alright!" shouted Genki as he raced toward them, and the naga hybrid curled his lips back in a sarcastic grimace. He recognized the boy at once; he had thought that the bratty human had been one of the ones he had poisoned. Of course, the fact that he was up and about proved to him without a doubt that this was not the case.

Behind the human brat, he could clearly see the running forms of the cloaked rabbit and the silver-furred wolf. He knew which one of these was responsible for his current pain: as if the slim dagger sitting at his feet was not evidence enough, the scaled hare's leather cloak rippled around him as another streak of steel flashed from his blurring paws. Aqua Cutter barely managed to dodge this blade, and it grazed the edge of his cheek as he sidestepped it.

"I don't think that you three should interfere," he hissed as they drew ever closer to him, even though it was obvious that his words would have little effect. "You'll only be hurting yourselves in the long run…"

He saw Genki's clear eyes darken with outrage, and the youth increased his speed slightly, pumping his legs from side to side as he skated closer. Suddenly, the human boy sprang into the air, and brought both feet in front of him as he streaked toward the naga hybrid.

"Feet first!" Genki shouted, aiming his kick directly at the baddie's forehead.

Looking up at the rapidly approaching boy, Aqua Cutter just smirked, and quickly moved out of the way. As Genki slammed feet first into the ground and stumbled forward, having a little difficulty regaining his balance, the naga hybrid picked up the poison dart he had dropped earlier, whirled around and launched it at the boy's back.

"Look out!" Grey Wolf shouted, knocking Genki out of the way with his own body. The dart streaked through the space the two had occupied an instant before unerringly, and Aqua Cutter hissed in frustration. He drew another dart out of a concealed pouch and turned to face them, bringing his hand back to strike.

He didn't realize what a serious mistake he had made until he felt pain blossom in his wrist: in his determination to poison the brat and the wolf, he had forgotten about the other two rebels that were present. Now another of Scaler's knives was lodged in his hand, and his own weapon clattered to the ground forgotten as the baddie struggled to dislodge it from his wrist, which was a very painful process. By the time he had finally managed to pull it free, the naga hybrid knew it was too late to salvage his plan: already the little rabbit had recovered from his blow, and was currently standing a few feet away from the baddie, fire blazing around his paws. To make matters worse, the other three rebels had fanned out and surrounded him, and from the stances they had assumed, all of them looked more than ready to finish this fight.

"You've lost, Aqua Cutter," Grey Wolf snarled, lightning flickering around his horns.

"Give us the antidote!" Genki demanded, glaring at the baddie as he brought his fists up before him.

Aqua Cutter looked over at the furious boy, and a slow smile spread over his thin blue lips. His shoulders shook slightly as he began to chuckle to himself, and then suddenly he began to laugh louder and louder, the hissing sound echoing eerily through the night.

"What's so funny?!?" Genki demanded, glaring at the snake monster.

"You just don't get it, do you?" Aqua Cutter asked, crimson eyes glinting as he regarded the four searchers. Suddenly a dark radiance burst into life around him, and the searchers stumbled backward, thrown back by the force of its emergence. Shielding his eyes to keep from being blinded, Genki gritted his teeth in frustration as the snake man's hissing laughter rang in his ears.

"My master is calling me back to him, rebels," Aqua Cutter sneered, leering at the four searchers even as he felt his body begin to distort from the insistence of the spell's pull. He knew that his master would not be pleased with his inability to capture the little rabbit, but he knew that his mission was not a complete failure.

"I hope you weren't too attached to those friends of yours that got hit before," he taunted, baring his fangs in an evil smirk. "After all, you'll never be able to cure them…"

"We'll find a way! You'll see!" Genki shouted, glaring at his disappearing enemy.

"You still don't get it, do you?" Aqua Cutter leered, narrow red eyes flashing as he hissed, "There is no antidote!"

Then, with a blinding flash of black light, the snake monster vanished into thin air. The only remaining evidence of his presence there was the poison dart he had dropped a few moments before, lying abandoned on the dusty road.

"He got away again," Grey Wolf commented, sounding more resigned than upset. Turning worried ice blue eyes toward the others, he asked, "What do we do now?"

Nobody answered him. Scaler closed his dark eyes and shook his head, arms crossed over his chest, offering no possible answers. Genki stared down at the ground beneath his feet, his expression veiled by his bangs as they fell over his eyes, balled fists trembling at his sides. Hare had his head bowed as well, and turned away from the others. Noticing the abandoned dart still lying on the ground, he walked over, crouched down and picked it up.

"Hare?" Genki asked, turning to see what the bunny was doing.

Hare's expression was unreadable as he weighed the small missile in his paw, studying it carefully. After a few moments, he reversed it, gripping it by its handle.

Then, abruptly, before any of the others could react, Hare plunged the dart into his arm, driving the poisoned edge deep into his own skin.

"Hare!" Genki screamed, horrified, and the boy darted to Hare's side as the young bunny wavered on his feet.

Grey Wolf and Scaler were too stunned to react for a moment, and then both raced over to help Genki support his friend.

"Hare! Hare, why…?" Genki's query trailed off as his voice cracked; he couldn't keep himself from shaking a little as he attempted to wrench the dart out of the tawny-furred rabbit's arm.

Hare just smiled crookedly up at the boy, his blurring brown eyes twinkling faintly even as they drifted shut. Genki got the strange feeling that the rabbit was pleased with himself, like this was part of some sort of plan he was concocting and hadn't warned the others about.

Scaler gritted his teeth in anger as he yanked the dart out of Hare's limp arm, and crushed the now useless missile in his paw. He no longer needed to worry about being cut by it: all of the poison had already flowed into the younger rabbit's system and was starting its deadly course. Pulling Hare's unconscious form into his arms, the scaled hare wrapped part of his cloak around his limp body and got to his feet.

"Let's get back to the village!" he commanded more than said, already having whirled on his heel and sprinted off in that direction. Genki and Grey Wolf could only rush after him, trying to keep up.

In the commotion, none of them noticed that Hare's kerchief had slipped slightly, exposing the Phoenix's Tear. The crystalline teardrop glowed faintly, and the self-inflicted wound on the young rabbit's arm began to seal over, as a crimson light pulsed seemingly just beneath his skin.

* * *

Mocchi gasped, taking a few shuddering breaths as he fought for life. Serinity's verdant eyes wavered with tears as she continued to cast her healing spell on him, knowing that it did little good other than easing the pain he was in somewhat. For her, that alone was enough reason to keep casting her recovery spell. Holly kept her head bowed in prayer, bronze eyes closed tightly as she silently asked for some way to save the young monster. Coltia was pacing the floor, too nervous to sit still and wait, and Suezo occupied himself with watching her walk back and forth.

Privately, the eyeball monster was thinking about everything that had happened that day, all the terrible, terrible things that had occurred. He silently wished that he could take back what he had said to Hare before

The door banged on its hinges, and Serinity, Holly, Coltia and Suezo jerked their heads up in unison, startled from their glum reverie. At the sight of Genki, Grey Wolf and Scaler standing in the doorway, breathing harshly, Holly jumped to her feet.

"Genki, what…" she started to ask, then she saw who Scaler was holding in his arms and gasped. Behind her, Serinity gasped and reflexively squeezed Mocchi's hand a little tighter, and Coltia froze with shock.

"Wh-what happened?!?" Suezo heard his own voice demand, beginning to tremble with fear and dread of what answer he might receive.

"Hare stabbed himself with one of Aqua Cutter's poison darts," Genki blurted, confirming the eyeball monster's darkest suspicions.

"He what?!?" Coltia, Serinity and Holly cried in unison, while Scaler nodded grimly and gazed down at the younger rabbit's pale face.

"He is going to die now," the scaled hare said in a dead, emotionless voice, his violet-brown eyes burning with rage. "The enemy told us that there is no cure for the poison; he was lying when he offered one in exchange for Hare. The entire thing was a sham…"

"…May…maybe he was lying," Coltia offered lamely, obviously trying to keep the others from losing hope. Scaler just shook his head, dark eyes flashing with anger.

"No…no way," Suezo breathed, slowly shaking his head in denial as he backed away from the others. His horrified gaze was locked on Hare's body, not wanting to believe what he saw.

Suddenly he gasped, noticing before any of the other rebels did the faint glow pulsing under Hare's tawny fur.  


"Hey, what…?" he started to ask, then sucked in a second gasp of shock as the young rabbit let out a soft groan and shifted.

Noticing this, Scaler stared down at his precious burden, and the other searchers turned to stare at them as well. Hare moaned again, softly, then wavering brown eyes suddenly fluttered open. Shaking his head slightly, the small bunny smiled as he noticed the stunned faces of his friends.

"…Hey, guys," he greeted them weakly, a lopsided grin on his face. The other searchers simply stared at him, startled by his apparent recovery.

"…H-How…" Genki stammered.

Hare shook his head suddenly and pulled away from Scaler's arms; for once, the green rabbit did not attempt to hold him back.

"There's no time…where's Mocchi?" the younger rabbit asked, stumbling in the general direction of the bed.

Serinity got up and clutched at his arm, steadying him. The moment her slender fingers brushed against his fur, the pixie hybrid's verdant eyes went wide, and she stifled a quiet gasp. Hare looked up into her face, and for a moment, their gazes locked, as some secret knowledge seemed to pass between them. After a few seconds, Serinity smiled gently, and helped Hare over to Mocchi's side.

The other rebels watched in startled silence, not knowing what to make of what was happening. Genki started to ask a question, but his voice trailed off awkwardly before he could begin.

Hare took Mocchi's limp hand gently, cupping his paws around it, and closed his eyes in concentration. A fiery crimson aura pulsed under his fur again, and as the other rebels watched, the light spread to the younger monster. Mocchi's pale pink skin glowed as it was lit from within by the radiance, and as it enveloped both of them, his normal coloring returned. The sickly pale shade regained its normal rosy hue, and as the light faded away, a pair of wavering eyes forced themselves open.

"Genki…chi?"

Genki gasped, clear eyes wavering as he watched his close friend slowly sit up, no longer suffering in the least. Mocchi stared up at his friends, wondering why everyone looked as if they were about to start crying.

"Mocchi!" Genki exclaimed, and suddenly the boy was at Mocchi's side, arms wrapped around the young pink monster.

"I did it…I really, really did it…"

Hare smiled faintly, then abruptly toppled backwards as what remained of his strength abandoned him. Serinity, directly behind him, caught him easily, and all eyes turned to the young bunny in surprise.

"How…how did you…?" Holly asked, and Hare smiled lopsidedly over at her.

"…I'm sorry…I should have told you before…but you would have tried to stop me if you had known…"

"…Known what?" Coltia asked, blinking her caramel eyes in confusion.

"The Phoenix's Tear…can't normally heal poisons," Hare explained slowly, the same faintly mischievous smile on his face. "At least, not in somebody else. It can purify the bearer's own body of any toxins, but when it comes to healing someone else, there's a trick…the user has to have cleared the same type of poison out of his own body…at least once before…"

"What?" Coltia gasped, as she and the other rebels stared at the young rabbit in shock.

"Are…are you saying that…?" Suezo began to ask, voice trembling.

"To heal Mocchi, I had to get infected with the same type of poison he had been infected with. That's why I went off to face Aqua Cutter on my own…"

__

- And that must be what he meant when he wrote that we would have been better off if he had been poisoned by the Black Worms instead of Holly! -

Suezo smiled shakily in new understanding, tears brimming in his green-gold eye as he studied Hare's triumphant smile. Dimly, he heard Scaler scolding the younger rabbit about the sheer recklessness of his actions, but didn't care enough about what he was saying to listen. Judging from the lopsided grin on Hare's face, the scaled rabbit's words did not matter much to him either.

"Guys…? I'm really tired right now…could we just get some sleep?"

"I think that's a great idea," Holly said, while Scaler frowned deeply as he realized little attention was being paid to his scolding.

Genki laughed and nodded, still hugging Mocchi tightly. The youngest searcher was staring up at him in confusion, obviously not understanding what was happening.

"Genki-chi? What's wrong?"

Genki just smiled happily, clear brown eyes wavering as he hugged his friend a little tighter.

"Nothing, Mocchi," he replied, grinning reassuringly. "Just a bad nightmare, is all…and it's finally, finally over… Now come on, you especially need your rest. Remember, we have to continue our quest tomorrow! You want to find Tiger and Golem as soon as possible, right?"

"Right, chi!" Mocchi agreed. Yawning, the youngest rebel then curled up in his friend and partner's arms, soon drifting off to sleep as Genki continued to hold onto him.


	10. A Friend, A Foe

* * * Episode Ten: 

* * * Episode Ten: A Friend, A Foe * * *

"Okay! Let's go, everybody!" Genki shouted, pumping his feet into the air as he charged ahead of his teammates, deeper into the canyons.

"Chi! Chi!" Mocchi cheered, running after his partner and human friend as fast as his tiny legs could carry him.

Hare laughed at the younger monster's antics, even as he exchanged a knowing glance with Serinity. The pixie hybrid caught his sideways look and nodded, a faint smile touching her lips as she looked over at Mocchi. Holly noticed this and immediately understood: since the two had been casting their own recovery spells on Mocchi constantly during his struggle with Aqua Cutter's venom, they knew better than anyone else, perhaps even more clearly than Mocchi himself, just how close the youngest rebel had come to dying.

Her smile faded, and a cold shiver ran its icy fingers up and down the young woman's spine as she remembered the long, painful vigil they had taken at Mocchi's bedside, with the others looking on helplessly while Hare and Serinity cast their spells on the seemingly unresponsive child. She remembered waiting while Genki took Scaler and Grey Wolf to search for a runaway Hare, watching the pixie hybrid pour more of her strength into Mocchi's body; Serinity's silent, composed expression, verdant eyes squeezed tightly shut in concentration. Her magic appeared to have little effect, and yet she had continued to cast it, even though she may have merely been wasting her energy.

Then, of course, there was what Hare had done…Holly shuddered. The young rabbit had risked his own life to save Mocchi's, poisoning himself with the same venom so he could use the Phoenix's Tear to create a cure for it. _What if he had not been able to cure himself in time…?_ Holly struggled to dispel that train of thinking, and failed, her gaze drawn back toward the young bunny once more.

So close…they had come so close to losing some of their team. It frightened her terribly to think of that. They were missing two of their closest and dearest friends already; Golem and Tiger of the Wind were still absent, with no new clues to their current positions. If they had lost anyone else…

But they hadn't lost anyone, not yet, and if Holly had anything to say about it, they never would.

As the searchers continued their journey, Mocchi suddenly ran up beside Hare and gave the young rabbit a playful shove.

"Tag, you're it, chi!" the pink monster laughed, then darted ahead of the other rebels before the taken off-guard Hare could react.

Recovering quickly from his surprise, Hare smirked and chased after the younger rebel, and Holly giggled to herself as she watched them fool around. Serinity was giggling as well, and Grey Wolf laughed silently to himself, blue eyes twinkling with amusement. Scaler did not look as pleased as the other rebels were to see the two youngest members playing while they were on a serious quest, but Holly couldn't help but notice the thin smirk that tugged on one corner of the scaled hare's mouth. Dark violet-brown eyes watched the two younger monsters intently, making certain that they did not wander too far away from the other searchers.

Suddenly, a scream ripped through the air, and as the others stopped in their tracks and stared at one another, Scaler whirled around. Neither of the younger rebels had screamed, and a quick glance at the confused faces around him confirmed his suspicions that the cry had not originated from one of the others.

"W-w-what was that?" Coltia wailed, latching onto Genki's arm with both hands as she looked around wildly.

"It sounded like it came from…over there," Serinity said, and she flitted over in the direction that she pointed.

"Do you see anything, Serinity?" Genki called, watching the pixie hybrid as she ascended into the air, scanning the area around her.

"Not yet…oh!" Serinity suddenly gasped, both hands covering her mouth for a moment as she stared at something below her.

"What is it?" Grey Wolf called, as he and Scaler instantly whirled to face in the direction she was looking.

"T-there's some baddies! Th…they're attacking someone!" came the frightened, stammered reply.

"Damn!" Grey Wolf cursed, taking off in that direction at once. Scaler was beside the lupine monster almost instantly, leather cloak flying behind him as he drew a couple of blades from their sheaths.

"Come on!" Genki shouted, running after the two as they disappeared over a rocky outcropping.

"Genki, wait up!" Coltia wailed, following after him as fast as she could, the other rebels behind her.

Rounding a corner, Grey Wolf and Scaler immediately saw what Serinity had been screaming about. The silver-furred lupine's blue eyes widened with shock, while Scaler cursed and drew another knife out of the folds of his leather cloak.

A pack of Black Saurians were chasing a small, yellow-furred monster. It took Grey Wolf a few moments to recognize the smaller monster's breed: although Tiger had once described the different monster types to his younger brother, he had never seen one of the Mew breed before. The cat doll monster looked so tiny and weak, especially compared to the baddies pursuing it, that it seemed to him that the fact it had survived this long was a miracle.

However, whatever luck had kept the small feline monster alive appeared to be rapidly running out. One of the Black Saurians swiped at her with his long claws, and the kitty let out a screech as the sharp talons grazed one of her flailing arms.

"Ice Bullet!" Grey Wolf shouted, and the cold sphere knocked away the baddie before he could continue his gruesome work.

"Hang on!" Genki called, arriving in time to see Grey Wolf charging right into the battle.

Scaler had already thrown the knifes he had drawn at the baddies, and pulled a longer sword from its sheath as he sprinted forward. The steel edge glinted in the sunlight, and several of the baddies hesitated, already beginning to back away. Obviously they had been expecting an easy kill, and the arrival of several able fighters was causing them to have second thoughts.

Their doubts increased significantly when a blast of crimson flames erupted in front of them, driving them even further away from their intended victim. The Black Saurians backed away, crimson eyes wide, and several of them glanced over at the one in the lead. This dinosaur was a little larger than the others, and had a battered helmet that barely fit his head on, and apparently was the leader of the pack.

"…So much for this mission," he muttered; then, whirling around to face his warriors, he raised one stubby forearm into the air and ordered, "RETREAT!"

As the Black Saurians bolted from the area, the searchers gathered around what had been the baddie's intended target.

"Are you okay?" Coltia asked, supporting the cat doll's body with both arms.

In response, the tiny feline opened huge emerald eyes and looked up at the rebels that surrounded her. She mewed pitifully, moving her injured arm so that everyone could see the gash in it.

"Here," Serinity and Hare both said in unison, automatically reaching out to heal the wound at the same time. They looked up at each other in surprise for a moment, and then Hare smirked and pulled back his paw again.

"After you," he quipped, and Serinity giggled at the joke for a second before turning her attention back to the feline's injury.

A pale green aura surrounded Serinity's slender fingers, then spread to the feline monster's wound. Almost instantly, the shallow cut sealed over, and as the pixie hybrid cut off her spell, Coltia took out a small piece of cloth and wiped away the blood that had already managed to drip out before the gash had been healed.

"There you go," Coltia said brightly, smiling at the little cat doll monster. "Is that better?"

The feline monster blinked her huge emerald eyes, studying the faces around her with rapt interest. After a moment, her gaze settled on Genki's face, and the youth grinned.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Mew…call me Mew," came the quiet reply, as the feline monster continued to study the rebels intently. "Thanks for saving me from those monsters…"

"No problem, I'm just glad that you're okay now," Coltia said, smiling.

"Why were those baddies chasing you, anyway?" Serinity inquired.

"They probably thought she would be an easy target or something," Holly commented, frowning.

"Yeah, you know how baddies are: always have to beat up on the helpless," Suezo added, shaking his head.

"You would know a lot about that, wouldn't you?" Scaler commented, glancing at the eyeball monster.

"…Hey!" Suezo growled, glaring at the cloaked rabbit.

Holly sweatdropped as the scaled hare simply turned his back on the furious eyeball monster, and Hare sighed. Mew stared at the scene unfolding before her, and after a moment, giggled faintly.

"What's so funny?" Coltia asked, looking over at the small cat monster in surprise.

"Oh…nothing…it's just that they're acting so silly," Mew replied, grinning up at the girl.

"…Yeah, I guess Suezo does act pretty silly sometimes," Holly admitted, shaking her head.

Suezo stared at his partner with a hurt expression on his face, and looked like he was about to protest that comment. Genki, Mocchi and Coltia started laughing, while Hare shook his head and smiled. Scaler looked over at the fuming eyeball monster with a slight smirk tugging on the corner of his mouth for a moment.

"…So, Mew," Genki finally managed to get out after he had calmed down a little, "where's your home at? Where are your friends? We'll take you back there so the baddies won't threaten you again on your way back if you want…"  
  
His voice trailed off as he noticed a shadow come over the small feline's face. Emerald eyes that moments before had been sparkling with laughter suddenly darkened, and Mew gazed down at the ground beneath her sadly.

"…I don't…really have any friends around here," the cat doll said quietly after a short pause.

"…Oh…" Genki murmured, some of his enthusiasm fading as he watched the small feline monster stare at the ground.

"………Oh! Hey, I know!" Coltia suddenly piped up, beaming. "Why don't you come along with us, Mew?"

"Colt?" Holly asked in surprise, as all eyes turned toward the younger human girl.

"Yeah…yeah!" Genki agreed, his face lighting up as he turned to face the startled feline monster. "You can come with us if you want! We're going on a journey to find some of our friends, and stop Moo from taking over!"

"…Really? …You'd really have me along?" Mew asked, looking around at the searchers with wide green eyes.

"Of course! We can always use another ally, right, guys?" Coltia replied, grinning widely.

"Yeah-chi!" Mocchi cheered.

"Sounds fine to me," Grey Wolf said, shrugging. "The more allies we have, the better, I suppose…"  
  
"I don't know…do you really think that you can fight the baddies?" Suezo asked, eyeing the cat doll doubtfully. "You don't look that strong…"

"She will probably be a better fighter than you, at least," Scaler commented mildly, earning another death glare from the eyeball monster.

"Don't worry, you won't have to fight if you don't want to," Serinity told Mew, trying to ignore Suezo as best she could. "To be honest, I'm not really a warrior myself, but that doesn't mean that I'm unable to help out…"

"Oh, don't worry about it," Mew said lightly, smiling back at the pixie hybrid. "I think I'll be able to hold my own…"

"All right then, what do you say we get moving, gang?" Genki cheered, pumping his fist in the air. "Let's go-"

"Mocchi hungry," the little pink monster interrupted.

"Maybe we should rest for a while, Genki," Serinity said, looking over at the boy. "We have been traveling for some time, and Mocchi may need his rest…"

"…Not to mention getting something to eat," Suezo muttered. "I'm starving!"

"Yeah, and Mew might need some time to recover from that attack, right, Mew?" Coltia added, grinning at the feline monster.

"Well, we can set up camp here for a while," Holly offered.

"…Okay, fine," Genki said, walking back over to the rest of the group. "We'll take a break if you want…"

Holly nodded at him, smiling, and Suezo began to shrug off his traveling bundle so they could retrieve some of their supplies. Serinity helped him get the heavy packet off, and quickly located a frying pan.

"Could somebody go gather some firewood?" Holly asked.

"I'll do it," Mew said at once, standing up. "I know this area really well, so I should be able to find some pretty quickly."

"All by yourself?" Coltia asked, concerned. "What if the baddies attack you again?"

"I'll be okay. You guys drove all of them away, so I doubt I'll get into any trouble," Mew told her calmly, smiling.

"Still, to just go alone…I can come with you if you want," Coltia offered.

"I'll be fine…"

Before the argument could be continued any further, the cat doll monster had turned around and scampered off, leaving a confused Coltia behind. The girl blinked, then looked back at the other rebels.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" she asked, worried.

"I wouldn't worry about it," Grey Wolf replied, a slight smile on his muzzle. "She may just want to prove she's not completely helpless. After all, she was being chased…she may think we think she's weak."

"Humph. She certainly looks weak," Suezo commented under his breath, although Mocchi and Hare happened to overhear him. "She's so small…"

"Yeah, and I suppose Mocchi and I look weak to you because we're 'just kids,' right?" the tawny-furred bunny commented acidly, glaring at the eyeball monster.

"Chi!"

"Uh…come on, you guys, you know what I meant," Suezo stammered, sweatdropping.

* * *

Mew walked deeper into the canyon, emerald eyes glittering as they swept across the area, searching. After a few moments, her gaze alighted on a shadowy alcove; something shifted within the blackness, and there was a brief glimmer as light reflected off of a small, circular object.

"There you are," the feline monster muttered, walking toward the cave.

Several pairs of crimson eyes glared back at her, as deep growls and snarls echoed out of the darkness. Mew returned their gaze firmly, as a frightening change overtook her: the emerald eyes that moments before had been twinkling with laughter hardened into emotionless panels of jade.

"Everything is going according to plan?" asked the leader of the Black Saurians, as he stepped forward into the light.

"Of course," the small feline replied in a low, quiet voice. "The rebels have taken me into their group, just as the master said they would. He was correct in thinking that they would take pity on a small, defenseless monster such as myself…"

As she said this last part, her jaden eyes seemed to darken even more, and a snarl curled the edge of her lip. The Black Saurians recoiled slightly as they saw the tiny white fangs glitter in the afternoon sun.

"Well, you will prove them wrong, won't you?" the leader of the dinosaurs asked after a few moments. "Master Mew…"

"…Yes…yes, that's right," Mew murmured, closing her eyes and nodding slightly, more to herself than to the baddies kneeling before her. "…Oh, and one more thing, Captain."

"Yes?" answered the Black Saurian leader, blinking in surprise.

"During the 'chase'…will you kindly explain to me what you thought you were doing when you made that little swipe at me?"

The leader's red eyes widened involuntarily, and he started to sweat, secretly thankful that the cat doll still had her eyes closed and could not see his expression.

"…I-I…I was merely attempting to make the attack look more realistic," he lied.

"…Ah…yes," Mew said slowly, nodding again, eyes still closed. "I understand now…"

The Black Saurians sighed in unison, relieved. However, they failed to notice how Mew's paws were slowly clenching into fists at her sides.

"I understand that you thought I would be easy to kill!" she hissed, and her eyes flashed open.

Her jaden eyes were glowing with a blinding white-green light, startling the dinosaurs. Before they could react, the blazing light lashed out at them with twin beams, burning and searing through dark flesh and bones. The baddies could not even scream as they writhed under the full brunt of the feline monster's unleashed attack.

After a few moments, the glow faded away from Mew's eyes, and she glared at the still smoldering lost discs before her with a slight sneer tugging on the edge of her mouth.

Then, turning away, she began to make her way back to the campsite where the rebels were staying. The last thing she wanted was for them to get worried about her and send out a search party…

__

…Although they would be the first ones to care enough to do something like that for me, she thought bitterly.

* * *

"…Why hasn't Mew come back yet?" Coltia asked, glancing around at the others worriedly.

"She'll be back soon, probably, so don't worry about it," Grey Wolf replied, smiling reassuringly at the girl.

"I just wish that she'd been able to bring some firewood sooner," Suezo griped, his tongue hanging out of his mouth. "Then I wouldn't have had to go after some, and…"

"Suezo, please stop talking so much, you're making this rather difficult," Serinity piped up. The pixie hybrid was kneeling beside the eyeball monster, glowing hands poised above his tongue, and she added, "But I thank you for going after some wood on your own. You didn't have to…"

"Well, I wish you'd told me that before I got these stupid splinters in my tongue!" snapped the eyeball monster irritably.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry," Serinity apologized, verdant eyes shimmering with tears as she bowed her head guiltily.

"Oh, for crying out loud, Serinity, it's not your fault," Hare piped up, glaring at the eyeball monster beside her with disgust. "If Suezo had just been more careful, this wouldn't have happened to him."

"Yeah, you need to learn to stop blaming yourself for things that aren't your fault," Grey Wolf added, raising his head to look over at her.

"But I…" Serinity looked away, obviously not convinced that she wasn't to blame, and the others sighed.

Mew came walking up at that moment, arms full of firewood. The feline monster had known better than to show up without any, and she did actually know the area well enough to quickly locate some easily after she had finished her little 'meeting' with her…former warriors.

"Sorry I'm late," she called, smiling brightly as she strode over to the campfire and dropped her armload of sticks next to it.

"Mew, where were you?" Coltia shouted, jumping to her feet at once and scooping Mew into her arms before the startled cat doll could react. "We were so worried about you! What happened? You weren't attacked again, were you? You're not hurt?!?"

"…Uh, Colt…if you really want her to answer, maybe you should consider loosening your grip just a bit," Hare observed mildly, sweatdropping.

"…Oh! …Right," Coltia replied, quickly releasing her near-death grip on the feline monster. "A-anyway, are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine," Mew managed to gasp after a moment, sucking precious air back into her lungs. She forced herself to grin up at the worrying young girl despite the pain in her chest, and added, "I just lost track of time, that's all…"

"Well, we're just glad that you're alright," Serinity told her, smiling over at the small feline monster.

"Yeah, I just wish that you'd gotten back sooner…" Suezo griped.

Serinity and Holly sweatdropped in unison, while Mew stared at the eyeball monster and blinked in surprise. She noticed that the other rebels appeared to be embarrassed by Suezo's grumbling as well; the one exception seemed to be the cloaked scaled hare, who had his back turned on the scene indifferently. His attention was completely focused on sharpening several blades that he had drawn from the folds of his leather cloak, or at least, that was what it looked like. However, the feline monster overheard him mutter something under his breath that indicated to her that he was paying more attention than he appeared to be.

"What did you just say?" Suezo growled; apparently the eyeball monster had overhead the scaled hare's mumbling as well.

"I just noted that you hurt yourself very easily doing what should have been a rather easy chore," Scaler repeated, a little louder, and glanced back over his shoulder at the eyeball monster. "I suppose, however, that since you do so little actual work around here, your injury is not all that great a surprise…"

"Hey!" Suezo growled, fuming.

"Calm down, calm down," Serinity pleaded, attempting to concentrate on healing the eyeball monster's aching tongue even as he grumbled and complained. "We got all the splinters out, but if you don't relax long enough for me to finish this, your tongue will be awfully sore for a while…"

"Why not leave it that way? Maybe he'll actually be quiet for a while if it hurts him to speak," the scaled hare observed mildly.

"Scaler…" Hare sighed, shaking his head in frustration.

Mew stared at the fuming eyeball monster and the indifferent scaled hare in amazement: she had always heard before that the rebels were extremely close to one another, each willing to lay down their lives for the others, but these two hardly appeared to be fond of one another… She giggled, bemused. Perhaps those rumors were merely that…

"Mocchi hungry, chi," the little pink monster piped up forlornly, and Mew found herself staring at him. This one's presence was another thing she had not expected…not with what she had heard…

"Come on, you guys, settle down," Holly said, as she checked the stew she was making. After taking a quick taste, the girl smiled and announced, "It's ready."

"Food, yeah!" Coltia said eagerly. Taking a pair of bowls, she handed one to Mew and said, "Here you go!"

Taken off guard, Mew blinked at the girl in surprise.

"What's the matter? …Don't worry, Holly's a really good cook," Coltia said, wondering if that was the problem.

"…No, no that's not it," Mew hastily blurted, quickly taking the offered bowl before the girl could ask any more questions.

Mentally, she kicked herself for allowing her mind to wander like that. She had to pay more attention to what was happening: if the rebels began to suspect that anything was wrong… Although she doubted that they would be able to figure out that the cute little kitty cat they had rescued from the baddies was actually an enemy herself. They had no clue that she was going to…that she was supposed to…

Mew glanced back around at the rebels, her solemn gaze drifting from face to face. Genki, Mocchi, Suezo and Coltia were currently fighting over who would get more of the stew, and the feline monster arched an eyebrow at the sight of the four teammates roughhousing. The other members, she noted, were not as competitive about the food, and mostly looked embarrassed about the scene their friends were making.

"Know why those guys are fighting over food so much? It takes a lot of fuel to run those mouths of theirs," Hare commented.

"No kidding!" Holly laughed nervously, sweatdropping as she watched the four continue to battle it out.

Serinity giggled behind a discretely raised hand, and Grey Wolf burst out laughing. Mew felt a smile tug at the edge of her mouth at the quip, then glanced over at the scaled hare, who was sitting separate from the others. He didn't appear to be paying a lot of attention to the others at first, yet the feline monster noted that his dark violet-brown eyes continued to flick back towards where Hare was sitting, watching him intently.

__

He must have taken it upon himself to protect the little rabbit at all times, Mew decided, taking a sip of her own stew as she studied the green rabbit. _I certainly can understand that…after all, not only is that one the bearer of the Phoenix's Tear, but he is also a child…_

__

– A child… –

__

– Many of them are mere children…Hare, Mocchi, Genki…why did the master never inform of this? Why… –

Mew's emerald eyes narrowed slightly, and she shook her head.

__

Does it really matter? She asked herself silently. _Children or not, they are still the enemy… I will make certain that they cannot interfere with the master's plans…one way or another…_

However, as she watched the rebels continue to talk and laugh with one another, the feline monster felt a small, odd sensation, like something deep within her was twisting painfully. Somehow, it hurt to watch them enjoy themselves so much, to see them feel so at peace with one another…

* * *

Night fell, and the searchers slept, blissfully unaware of the fact that an enemy general was among them. Mew silently stood, and emerald eyes shimmered in the moonlight as they swept over the sleeping rebels, taking in every detail.

Genki and Mocchi were sprawled in a heap, only half covered by the blanket they shared. The young monster's head rested on his friend and partner's chest, and their soft, deep breathing sounded almost synchronized, although not quite.

Holly and Suezo were also leaning against one another: the girl's head rested against the eyeball monster's leg, and he leaned forward slightly, so that it appeared that he was protecting his partner even while asleep. The thought caused Mew to smile for a fleeting moment, although she privately wondered how the girl could possibly sleep with Suezo's loud snoring so close to her ear. Of course, if one was used to it…

Scaler lay some distance away from the group, wrapped tightly in his long leather cloak. Mew recalled seeing him sharpening some blades earlier, but could not see any of the weapons lying beside his motionless figure. Did that mean he slept with all his weapons still tucked away in their sheaths? …But then again, the feline monster could see the point of that. When an attack could come at any time, it was best to always be prepared…

Coltia was sprawled out on a blanket, only half-covered by another sheet. Grey Wolf was curled at the girl's feet, nose tucked between his paws, blue eyes closed. Serinity had wrapped her wings around her body instead of a blanket, and appeared to be completely comfortable where she lay on the ground, cushioned by the soft grass.

The little rabbit, the bearer of the crystalline tear that her master wanted captured so badly, was curled up under a blanket nearby, fast asleep. Mew's eyes darkened slightly as she focused her gaze on him, becoming a cold jaden hue.

__

It would be so easy, she told herself, _to just capture the little rabbit right now, while he and his rebel fri…allies are still asleep. I could just slit the throats of the lot of them while they're sleeping, then grab the little rabbit and teleport back to my fortress. So simple…_

As she thought this, her tiny claws slowly appeared, glinting in the moonlight as she bared them without even realizing what she was doing.

Her harsh, cold jaden eyes traveled back towards where Genki and Mocchi were; the pair were still fast asleep, and only a few feet away from her. It would take only a few seconds to cross that distance to them and use her claws to tear a few fatal wounds into their unresisting bodies…and with the apparent leader of the rebels and his partner out of the way, the rest would be easy…

Mocchi sighed softly and rolled over, and Mew tensed for a moment as she saw his face now pointed toward her. It took a few seconds for her to realize that the pink monster had not awakened, that his eyes were still closed, that he was still sound asleep. Moonlight lit the youngster's face; he was smiling slightly, as if having a wonderful dream, and he looked perfectly contented and comfortably as he snuggled closer to Genki's side.

Mew stared at him, her harsh jaden eyes beginning to soften as they studied his serene expression, and her bared claws gradually retracted back into her paws. She slumped back down into a sitting position; gaze still locked on the young monster's face. Slowly, she began to shake her head, and a faint tremor ran through her small frame.

__

– W…what am I doing…? …He's only…a child… –

__

– …So many of them are so young…why… –

__

– Master…why are the enemies that you hate so…mere children? –

The silence of the night seemed almost oppressive to the feline monster, and she continued to stare at the sleeping rebels dully, emerald eyes shimmering with emotion… although what emotion that was, even she did not know anymore.

* * *

Several miles away, another was suffering from insomnia that, in a sense, was also being caused by the searchers. However, the reason was somewhat different than the feline monster's own…

"…Damnit! I knew we should have stayed with them," Alan cursed, stubbornly forcing himself to keep moving forward even though his body was shrieking at him for rest.

Irritably, he glanced back up at the dark sky above him; the starlight reflected briefly in his narrowed, sapphire-bright eyes for a moment, then he shook his head and glared at the winding road ahead of him.

He couldn't believe his luck. Several days before, he had managed to capture one of the baddies and interrogate him. The enemy had revealed some startling information about his general and commander, and had even hinted at some sort of plan to infiltrate the rebels.

Alan grimaced as he recalled how the captured baddie had taunted him, claiming that the rebels would never know what had happened to them…that their throats would be slit in the night by their supposed new friend.

So, after disposing of the enemy and making a final sweep of his woods, making certain that no baddie would be able to harm anything. With his hideout completely camouflaged and hidden to the outside world, he and his two Worms had set off together, hoping to find the other rebels before they met up with this false friend. Alan took comfort in the fact that, judging by what other people he had met in villages along the way said, he was heading in the right direction. However, what one man had told him in the last town he had visited had been both great and a little disappointing…

"…Genki, you idiot! Why did you have to keep moving instead of staying in that stupid inn for just one more day?!?" he shouted at the top of his lungs, shattering the otherwise quiet night.

Behind the boy, a pair of Worm monsters sweatdropped in perfect unison. They continued to follow after their master and partner as he stormed ahead, knowing that they were getting closer to finding the others. It was only a matter of time…

* * *

Mew blinked in surprise, sitting up at once. She had no idea when she had fallen asleep: the sun was beginning to rise, sending shafts of light over the campsite, although that was not what had awakened her. A soft melody wafted through the cool, early morning air, and the feline monster looked around for its source, confused.

Following the sound, she soon came upon Hare. The little rabbit was sitting on a rock, a small, handcrafted flute in his paws. This was obviously the source of the music, and Mew simply stood and listened to the soft melody for a few moments. When Hare finally spotted her, he stopped playing abruptly, and the feline monster felt a sharp pang of disappointment.

"Don't stop just because of me," she told him, then blinked in shock. In her own ears, it had sounded almost as if she was pleading with him to continue. The thought almost made her sick, so she pushed the notion quickly out of her mind.

"How long have you been standing there?" Hare asked, then the bunny suddenly shook his head. "On second thought, never mind, I'm not certain I want to know. …Sorry if I woke you up…"

"No, you didn't wake me up…" the cat doll sighed, glancing back in the direction of the campsite. After a short pause, she looked back at the young rabbit, curiosity lighting her verdant eyes as she asked, "What was that song you were playing? I've never heard it before."

"Oh, that? It's just something I came up with based on these songs my mother used to sing to me when I was little," Hare replied, smiling at the feline monster. However, the smile quickly faded, and he looked away as he added softly, "But that was a long time ago…"

"Ah…" Mew murmured, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. She noticed that the Phoenix's Tear had slipped out from under the rabbit's kerchief, and was glowing a faint reddish color. She winced despite herself; the sight of the crystalline teardrop reminded her once more that she still had a mission to complete.

__

– What are you waiting for? Just grab the little rabbit and get out of here! –

That was her reason for infiltrating the rebels, for being here, but…

__

– I still don't understand why the master considers these…these children to be any threat to him… –

Her gaze traveled back to the gleaming crystalline pendant, and emerald eyes narrowed slightly.

__

– That's why…if I could figure out how to disable that pendant so that it wouldn't be a problem anymore, then I wouldn't have to… –

"Something wrong, Mew?" Hare suddenly asked, snapping her out of her dark contemplation. "You look upset…"

"No-nothing's wrong!" Mew replied, quickly. Hare didn't look quite convinced, so she quickly changed the subject.

"So why did you come over here to play your music?" she inquired, pointing back in the direction of the campsite. "Why didn't you stay over there with your friends? Wouldn't it be safer?"

"I didn't want to wake anyone else up…but apparently that didn't do much good, did it?" Hare commented, tilting his head to one side and giving her a sly look.

"But aren't you worried that you might run into…the 'baddies'…while you're all by yourself?" Mew heard herself ask, a little startled by the difficulty she had in using the term the rebels used to refer to their enemies.

"Nah…I mean, it's not like I wandered all that far away from the others, and besides, I can take care of myself!" Hare laughed.

"Yeah…and that's the problem," Mew muttered under her breath, so softly that the young rabbit did not overhear her, her emerald eyes still locked on the Phoenix's Tear.

* * *

"…FINALLY I found you guys! GET UP!"

"Waaah!" Genki cried, clear eyes shooting open as he instinctively leapt to his feet and lashed out in the direction of the screaming. "Who are you? Who's there?!"

"Hey!" a familiar voice shouted, as the speaker quickly evaded the frantic blow. "Watch it, Genki!"

"Alan? What are you doing here?"

The blue-gray-haired boy glared at him for a moment, sapphire eyes flashing with annoyance, then shook his head to calm himself. Before he could answer, however, another voice rang out behind him.

"Alan!" Coltia chirped, tackling him from behind and nearly crushing his ribs in a tight hug. "You came to visit us again! I'm so happy to see you!"

"I…didn't…come to…visit," Alan gasped painfully, as Genki and the other searchers sweatdropped in unison with his pair of Worm monsters.

"Then why…oh! I get it! You've finally decided to join up with us! Right?"

"Well," Alan replied, finally freeing himself from Coltia's grasp, "I suppose…but that's not the entire reason that I came."

"Oh? Why did you come after us, Alan?" Holly inquired.

"I found out something about the enemy plans," came the terse reply.

"Oh, really? What?" Grey Wolf asked, giving the young man an interested look.

Alan glanced down at the silver-furred lupine, and his cobalt eyes went wide with shock.

"Yo-yo-you…?" he stammered, stumbling backward slightly, eyes locked on the puzzled Grey Wolf.

"Alan…? What's wrong?" Holly asked, confused.

Suddenly, she gasped in horror as the young man yanked his sword from its sheath and pointed the blade directly at the startled silver wolf.

"You're the one they sent?!" Alan demanded, voice shaking with horror and disbelief. "That's so blatant!"

"What are you talking about?" Grey Wolf asked, blinking in surprise at the blade hovering inches away from his face, temporarily too startled to react in any other way.

Fortunately, the other searchers did not suffer from the same paralysis. Genki grabbed onto Alan's hand, reacting instinctively to the unexpected threat to his friend.

"What are you doing?" he shouted at Alan, at the exact same moment that the blue-gray-haired boy demanded the exact same thing.

"Grey Wolf is one of the Big Bad Four, Genki! He's been sent to kill you and capture Hare!" Alan exclaimed, glaring daggers at the stunned lupine.

"Grey Wolf is not a baddie anymore, Alan!" Genki shot back, enraged. "Moo was controlling him back then, and that was a long time ago! He's helping us now!"

"Why would you think that Grey Wolf-san was going to kill us?" Serinity inquired, looking at Alan with confused verdant eyes.

"Look, I recently learned from an enemy I captured that their master has come up with a new plan to get rid of you guys," Alan explained, grimly. "Apparently, one of his generals is supposed to run into your team and end up joining you. Once they've gained your trust, they're supposed to kill all of you, except for Hare…then they're supposed to take him back to their master…"

Alan's voice trailed off, and he stared at the shocked faces around him. It took a few seconds for him to register the fact that one of the familiar faces was notably absent, and a cold chill ran icy fingers down his spine.

"…Where's Hare at?" he asked, his voice cracking a little.

For a moment, the young bladesman could have sworn that the cloaked scaled hare's face turned a shade paler at his question. However, if this was actually the case, it was over in an instant, and Scaler's flashing violet-brown eyes were burning with rage as he whirled around, drawing a pair of short throwing knives in a blur.

"HARE!"

* * *

"What?" Hare called back, genuinely surprised by the sudden insistence in the elder rabbit's tone. "What's wrong, Scaler?"

He started back toward the campsite, failing to notice that Mew was not with him anymore. The feline monster stood frozen where she was, a bolt of cold panic raging through her small frame.

They _knew_. She was certain of that. Somehow, the scaled hare had figured out what her true intentions were…were _supposed_ to be…what she was _supposed_ to be doing here. She cursed silently; the scaled hare was one of the few members of the rebels that _wasn't_ a little kid, and he had probably picked up on her occasionally strange reactions. She hadn't been careful enough…

__

Now what? The silent question tore through her, almost taunting. _You hesitated to complete your mission, and now look at what's happening…you've lost your chance…you're a failure…_

__

– A failure…just like what they always told you… –

__

– NO! –

No matter what happened, she would not become a failure. She refused to. She snapped out of her temporary paralysis and quickly glared in the direction of the campsite.

The little rabbit with the Phoenix's Tear was still walking back to his friends; her confusion had lasted only for an instant. There was still time for her to salvage the mission. As she glared at her target's back, already running after him, her cold jaden eyes began to glow with white-green light.

The low-powered blast took the unsuspecting Hare in the back of the neck, stunning him. Mew watched him crumple to the ground silently, stubbornly telling herself that the sight of his motionless body sprawled before her didn't bother her in the slightest. It wasn't even as if she had murdered him, after all: the master wanted him alive, so the beam was only strong enough to knock the young rabbit out for a while.

She heard a scream of outrage, and suddenly a silver streak flashed through the air toward her. As she dodged away, she glared in the direction of the campsite and saw the other rebels running toward her.

* * *

"Hare!" Scaler shouted as he darted around the corner just in time to see the younger bunny collapse.

Violet-brown eyes burning with outrage, he immediately launched one of his throwing knives at his assailant. Mew leapt away at once, and the green rabbit cursed under his breath: the traitor's small size made her a difficult target to hit. All the same, he snapped back his arm and took careful aim at the feline, while drawing a short sword out of its sheath beneath his cloak.

"No!" Coltia shouted, grabbing his arm before he could launch the dagger. "_Don't!_"

Scaler frowned, and without even bothering to glance back at the girl wrenched his arm away. Coltia flinched backward, sensing that the annoyed scaled hare was on the verge of striking her, yet she refused to back away.

"Scaler, don't hurt her, please!" she begged, on the verge of tears.

"Why not?" he hissed through gritted teeth. "She's an enemy spy and a traitor! Why should we care what happens to her?"

"B-but…" Coltia stared over at the feline monster, shivering despite herself as she glimpsed cold jaden eyes glaring back at her.

"Scaler's right, Colt," Alan snapped, stepping in front of the girl and drawing his sword. "She's one of the enemy generals, and the only reason she met up with you guys was to try and kill you. She's not anyone you need to protect…"

"Yeah," Genki agreed hesitantly, bangs falling over his face and casting a shadow over his solemn, clear brown eyes. "We have to fight her…"

Holly sucked in a breath, bronze eyes shining with emotion as she saw the pained expression on the young boy's face. He knew that they had been tricked now, how the feline monster had betrayed them, using their kindness against them, and his outrage showed clearly, blazing in his eyes like a fire. At the same time, however, that blaze was tempered by uncertainty, sorrow…Genki understood that Mew had betrayed them, but he had no idea why.

Still, there was no time for questions now.

"Mocchi, use your Cherry Blossom Blizzard!" Genki ordered, forcing himself to point at the feline monster.

"Chi!" Mocchi said, nodding briefly. Leaping up into the air, the small pink monster began to spin around, and a cloud of pink blossoms materialized around him.

"Cherry Blossom Blizzard, CHI!"

The pink petals swirled around Mew, sweeping into her face, and the feline monster cursed as she skidded backward. Shielding her narrowed jaden eyes with one arm, she glared up at the twirling Mocchi. At that moment, instinct took over, and she reacted to him as she would to any attacker…

"Mocchi!" Genki screamed, seeing the feline monster lunge for his partner.

"Chi-"

Mocchi caught the barest glimpse of yellow fur and hard green eyes before a sharp pain blossomed across his chest. He opened his mouth to scream, but could not even find the breath as the feline monster's claws ripped through him, staining his rosy skin with crimson streaks.

"MOCCHI!" Genki screamed as the young monster fell back to earth, landing with a dull thud on the rough, unforgiving ground.

Serinity shrieked, verdant eyes overflowing with tears, while the other rebels simply froze, too stunned to react at first. The pixie hybrid's incoherent screaming had a strange effect on the cat doll monster; Mew blinked as if coming out of a trance, her emerald eyes regaining their normal hue as she snapped out of her bloodlust.

"Wh…what?" she murmured, staring in shock at the red fluid that covered the tips of her normally ivory-white claws.

Then she looked up to see Mocchi lying in front of her, a series of thin, jagged slashes marring his heaving chest and back. Comprehension dawned on her face, and she stared at the gravely injured young monster in horror.

__

– N-no! I…I didn't want to hurt him! He's only…a child… –

__

– A child, yes, but also one of the rebels… –

__

– Rebel or not, he's still a mere youth…I…I have the blood of a child on my… –

A ragged shriek tore from Mew's lungs, and she squeezed her eyes shut in a futile attempt to deny the image before her. Dimly, she heard running footsteps drawing closer to her; the rebels were coming toward her at full speed, wanting to help their friends…to punish her for what she had done…

__

– NO! –

Abruptly she remembered the enchantment on the medallion she wore. The master had placed a special spell on the symbols worn by his generals and most powerful soldiers: when invoked, it could teleport the rightful owner and anyone or anything they were touching back to a certain destination. She knew the main reason for this, and also knew that it was her only path out of this situation now.

Opening her eyes, Mew quickly grabbed hold of both the unconscious Hare and the wounded Mocchi. Genki shouted at her, as the other searchers cried out in varying tones of outrage, shock, and horror. Ignoring this, the feline monster looked directly at the youth, who was already racing toward her. Clear brown eyes locked with shimmering emerald panes, and she silently mouthed the words, "I'm sorry."

Then, she gave a mental command, and a sullen black radiance pulsed briefly around her and her two helpless companions. Genki shouted again, but it was too late; in a flash, all three were gone, and Genki skidded to a stop in the area where they had been moments before.

"Hare! Mocchi!" Serinity screamed, breaking down completely.

"Damnit!" Grey Wolf snarled, blue eyes flashing angrily as the lightning blast he had been charging faded out of existence.

Scaler grimaced, and threw a dark, smoldering glare in Coltia's direction. The girl winced, knowing exactly what he was thinking; _this wouldn't have happened if YOU hadn't gotten in the way!_

"What do we do now?" Suezo asked glumly, looking at Holly in despair.

"Simple," Scaler hissed. "We find where Mew took them, and rescue them from the traitor."

He strode past the other rebels, leather cloak swirling in folds around him. From the solemn, dark expression on the scaled hare's face, it was all too clear to the other rebels what he intended to do once they located the feline monster.

"Let's go," Alan prompted, walking after the green rabbit, pausing long enough to look Holly straight in her wavering bronze eyes. "We may not have much time…"

"Yes…" Holly agreed, dully, returning the blue-gray haired boy's gaze.

The rebels filed after the scaled hare, Genki for once not skating into the lead right away. Instead, the boy fell into place alongside Coltia, attempting to comfort the distraught girl. Holly and Grey Wolf were caught up in a similar task, as the young woman whispered soft reassurances to the sobbing, broken Serinity and the lupine monster rubbed his side against her legs, trying to calm the pixie hybrid. Suezo hopped alongside Holly, gaze locked on the ground, lost in his own dark thoughts, and Alan brought up the rear, walking between his pair of Worm monsters.

All of them were so caught up with their own doubts and worries that they failed to notice a pair of crimson eyes watching them from the shadows of the underbrush nearby. A cruel, knowing smile curled thin, pale blue reptilian lips.

"Well, well, well, this is interesting," Aqua Cutter mused, smirking. "It seems that our dear General Mew is having some difficulties with her duty…I'll have to keep an eye on her…just in case…"

He grinned, fangs glinting briefly in the shadows, then with a pulse of sullen ice-blue light he was gone, leaving the area completely deserted.


	11. Garnet and Emerald Eyes

* * * Episode Eleven: Garnet and Emerald Eyes * * *

* * * Episode Eleven: Garnet and Emerald Eyes * * *

Mew paced back and forth in her throne room, her tiny claws making sharp, short tacking noises on the smooth tiles of the floor. The sound went unnoticed by the small yellow feline, whose mind was currently focused on other, far more pressing matters.

Mew glanced down at the small object she clutched in both paws for what was not the first time since she had acquired it. The Phoenix's Tear glittered faintly, reflecting her solemn emerald eyes in its crystalline depths, but that was all. No blazing, fiery aura, no constant crimson glow, just a prismatic reflection of the light that touched its smooth surface. Without a bearer able to use and wield its power, the pendant was simply another pretty crystal.

__

– As long as the little rab…Hare doesn't get his paws on this again, then neither one poses a threat to my master. He'll be just another powerless little monster child, and this will just be a useless trinket…nothing more… And no wielder of the Phoenix's Tear means no rebel threat… –

"…And no possible chance of a rebel threat means that Genki and his friends will not be of any concern to the master anymore," Mew finished aloud, emerald eyes shimmering with emotion. "Surely he won't bother with having them killed now…now when they don't pose a threat…right?"

Or was it possible that she was being a traitor? The notion sincerely bothered the small feline monster; she had always been loyal to the master, long before he had ever chosen her as one of his new generals. Even when he had vanished, allegedly destroyed by some mystical guardian firebird or something, she had remained hopeful, knowing that he would return.

Praying that he would return and end the miserable existence she had known…

From the moment that she had been born, Mew had been treated unfairly. The man who was supposed to be her owner, the one who had unlocked her, refused to raise her. He had wanted a strong, powerful monster, not some weak little kitten that looked like a child's plaything; she knew this because he had shouted this time and again as he stormed around, complaining and griping about his horrible luck.

She had tried to fulfill his request: training herself, always pushing her small body to its limits, putting herself through hell to become stronger, faster, smarter. She learned new attacks quickly; she had to, if she wanted to have a chance of impressing her so-called master. Looking back, she now accepted the truth that she had refused to acknowledge back then: nothing she did would ever cause him, or anyone like him, to change their opinion. He refused to even acknowledge her existence, save for when he thought she had done something wrong, or was simply upset over something. To him, she was and always would be a pathetic excuse for a monster.

That was why she followed the master: he saw her strength, and praised her for it. In his eyes, she was not weak, nor had ever been. It was the humans who were weak, the humans who had no real power at all. They were the useless ones, the pathetic creatures with no real use in this world. What was their reason for existence…?

She had heard of Moo back then, had heard of his rising to take over, and even then was secretly supporting him. If he could overthrow the cruel, prejudiced humans that ignored her and passed over her kind as weak and useless, then she loved him for it. The method did not matter to her: most of the humans she had met were so prejudiced and horrible that their destruction would be no great loss.

When the baddies had overrun her hometown, she had aided in the revolt, along with other monsters that were dissatisfied with their sorry lives of slavery and torment. Mew still remembered with complete clarity how she had executed her miserable excuse for an owner herself, using the Eyebeam attack she had learned long ago in her futile quest for his acceptance. The stark look of utter horror and dawning comprehension of the power she wielded – power that he had foolishly ignored – on the sorry human's face as the bright jaden light tore into his body had given her an incredible rush of power.

She had been in Moo's employ ever since, wearing her medallion proudly. It was a symbol of strength to her, an item of power that proved to the world that she was not just some weak little kitten that looked like a child's plaything. She had worth, unlike the pitiful humans that wanted to pass her off as nothing.

Then, one horrible day, her medallion had suddenly vanished, dissolving without a trace. It all happened so quickly; one moment, she was training with some of the other soldiers, then a strange mist of sparkling light drifted over them. Startled, she tried to see its source, but that mystery was forgotten for the moment as the familiar weight of the symbol on her chest suddenly lightened. Looking down, she could only stare in horror as the medallion that marked her as one of Moo's warriors melted away before her eyes, almost as if it had been tossed into a white-hot fire.

The others had all lost their medallions as well, and it didn't take long for panic to set in. Some of the monsters immediately assumed that the disappearances could only mean one thing: Master Moo was dead. Somehow, somebody had managed to murder their seemingly all-powerful leader…

But she refused to believe that! It just couldn't be true…Master Moo was the strongest monster in the world. He was going to lead all of them into a bright new future, one where bigoted humans no longer existed, and all monsters would be recognized for their own strengths, not dismissed as weak or useless simply because of their breeds…

Besides, Moo had come back to them. She wasn't entirely certain what had occurred to cause all the medallions to vanish before, but she did not care. He had returned, and assigned her the honor of becoming one of his first new commanders. He had bestowed her with this fortress, this looming testament to her own power, the strength that those stupid humans denied she could possess…

…And there was something else that the fortress symbolized for her, a special meaning that she kept hidden from even her master and leader.

__

– Why? Why do I feel like I have to hide it? –

__

– Because surely it is a sign of your weakness. No matter how you try to deny it, you do have weaknesses, major ones… –

Hissing under her breath, the feline monster quickly shook her head. She was _not_ weak, no matter what her allies might think if they knew her little secret. Surely what she was doing was just another side to her master's plan…

__

But if that's the case, she wondered silently, _then why do I feel as if I shouldn't tell him about it?_

She couldn't answer that question. Just as she couldn't make herself understand why her master would want a bunch of kids and young monsters killed. With Grey Wolf and the scaled hare, at least she had been able to justify the possibility of murdering them because she knew both of them were strong. Plus, the silver-furred lupine was a traitor. But with the other ones…

Sighing, Mew glanced over in the direction of a huge window. She could see clearly a huge tower in the center of the fortress, one that rose above the other walls grandly. Emerald eyes shimmering with emotion, the feline monster silently shook her head, forcing herself to look away.

"Hare…Mocchi…forgive me," she whispered, a shadow veiling her solemn expression as she stared down at the sparkling crystal in her paws.

* * *

His chest hurt. That was the first thing that the young pink monster became aware of as he returned to consciousness. His stomach and chest felt horribly sore: it almost hurt to breathe, but it was a dull pain.

Groaning, Mocchi rolled over slightly, and his arm brushed over his chest. Big mistake: the brief contact caused the pain to sharpen abruptly, and he sucked in a gasp as his eyes shot open.

The scene before him was unfamiliar, and Mocchi sat up straight, alarmed. His sudden movement caused a thick blanket that had been draped over his shoulders to fall to the floor, and he looked down at it in astonishment. With a start, he realized that he had been lying in bed, _but how had he gotten there?_

Mocchi couldn't remember. He also couldn't recall where the thick bandages wrapped around his aching chest had come from, but that didn't mean that he wasn't grateful for them.

A troubled expression appeared on the young monster's face: while he couldn't remember where the bandages had come from, he knew all too well what had caused the wounds that they covered. His new friend…Mew…

No, she wasn't a friend at all. She was an enemy, just like Alan had said. She was a baddie, and had tried to hurt him and his friends…

A soft moan informed him that he was not the only one in the room, and Mocchi looked up in alarm. Another small bed like the one he was sitting on was set up a few feet away from him, and lying on it…

"Hare-chi!" Mocchi shouted, and he ran over to the young rabbit's side.

Hare moaned again, and his brown eyes fluttered open slowly. He glanced over in Mocchi's direction, tiredly.

"Mocchi? Wha…what happened?" he inquired, struggling to sit up and failing. An alarmed look passed over his face suddenly, and he quickly grabbed at his bandanna.

"What's wrong, chi?" Mocchi asked, seeing the bunny's face go completely pale.

Hare looked up at him slowly, wavering brown eyes huge with alarm.

"I…I don't have the Phoenix's Tear on anymore," he replied slowly.

"Chi?!?"

"I can't believe I lost it!" Hare exclaimed, trembling as he gripped uselessly at his kerchief. "How could I…when could I have lost it?!?"

Mocchi stared at his friend, startled. Hare looked completely terrified, as though the loss of his pendant completely shattered his spirit. An idea occurred to the pink monster, one that didn't help the situation any.

"Um…I think I know what happened, chi," he volunteered.

"Huh?" Hare looked up at him, near tears.

"Mocchi think that Mew took it, chi…"

"…Mew? …But why would…?"

"She's a baddie!" Mocchi abruptly exclaimed, no longer able to keep in how he felt about what the feline monster had done. Tears sprang to the pink monster's widened eyes as he cried, "Mew lied to us, chi! She only pretended to be nice so she could hurt us, chi!"

"What?!" Hare stared at Mocchi, shocked.

At the same moment, however, the logical part of his mind accepted what Mocchi had just told him as the truth. It made sense, now: he had wondered why the Phoenix's Tear had glowed faintly whenever he was close to her, and when he had been knocked out…the attack had come from behind…

"…I should have known," he said dully, looking back down at the floor in despair. "I knew I sensed something from her, but…she didn't feel…'evil' to me…just…like she was sad."

"Sad-chi?" Mocchi inquired, cocking his head to one side in confusion.

"Yeah…I kept getting the feeling…that she was always depressed about something…she always seemed…sad, even when she was laughing…" Hare trailed off, then shook his head and laughed hollowly, adding, "I should have guessed what was wrong with her: she was trying to trick us! And I let her get away with it…"

"It's not your fault, chi!" Mocchi exclaimed, seeing the rabbit start to slip back into a deep depression. "Mocchi was fooled too! Mew fooled everyone, even Genki-chi!"

"But I should have figured out…" Hare replied, still not convinced.

Abruptly he froze, long ears twitching slightly, and his head snapped up with alarm as he tensed.

"What's wrong, chi?" Mocchi asked.

"Shh! There's somebody talking outside!" Hare whispered hastily under his breath, never taking his eyes away from the doorway.

"…Genki-chi?" Mocchi guessed nervously, although he could tell from the bunny's expression that it wasn't the clear-eyed youth he was listening to.

Hare shook his head, motioning for the younger monster to quiet down, then got to his feet and crossed the small room to the doorway, Mocchi trailing behind him. Carefully, he pushed the door open slightly, enough that both could know clearly hear the noise that the young rabbit had picked up on a few moments before. Neither of them recognized either of the voices.

Putting a finger to his lips to caution Mocchi to silence, Hare then slowly pushed the door open. Both young monsters peeked outside in unison, and the scene that greeted them startled both.

A pair of young monsters were standing in the corridor, engaged in a heated argument. Neither one appeared to be much older than the two startled rebels, and both were currently oblivious to their presence, completely absorbed in their conversation.

"I don't understand why you have to keep whining about this," one commented, shaking her head in disgust. "Why can't you just accept that this is the way things are?"

The one she was addressing just frowned, glaring at the monster before her with flashing scarlet eyes. Hare and Mocchi both recognized this one's breeding instantly: they had been forced to fight the same type of monster many times during their original quest. The slightly slanted eyes, dark midnight fur fringed with white and gray highlights, and long, pointed ears were a dead giveaway. However, neither one had ever seen an Evil Hare that was this young before; all of the baddies they had battled were full adults, while this child looked to be around their own age.

"I just don't understand it!" she complained loudly, still glaring at her opponent. "It isn't fair at all!"

"Life isn't fair," retorted the other, who turned away and stalked off before she could continue. "Deal with it."

Frowning petulantly, obviously not convinced, the black-furred bunny crossed her arms over her chest and let out an aggravated sigh. Adjusting the edge of her purple vest slightly, she paused as she caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of one garnet-stone eye.

"Hmmm?" she murmured, turning to find herself staring directly at a startled Hare and Mocchi.

"Oh, hi!" she said brightly, apparently dropping her anger entirely as she smiled at the pair. "When did you two get here? I haven't seen you around before! My name's Eboni; what's yours?"

"…Uh…I'm Hare," replied the tawny-furred rabbit slowly, uncertain.

"Mocchi!" Mocchi said, pointing at himself.

"Hi, Hare, Mocchi," Eboni said, smiling as she reached out and shook each of their hands in turn. "Good to see a couple of new faces around here."

"Where is 'here', anyway?" Hare inquired.

"Huh? You mean you don't know?" Eboni asked.

Hare studied the black-furred rabbit's face for a moment; she appeared to be truly shocked that he didn't already know. Slowly, he shook his head.

"That's strange…" Eboni mused, blinking her scarlet eyes in confusion. Then she shrugged, saying, "Oh well, I suppose it doesn't really matter. This is Mew's shelter for young monsters that don't have homes of their own."

"Mew?" Hare cried in surprise, at the same moment that Mocchi gasped, "Mew-chi?!?"

"Uh-huh," Eboni nodded, not noticing the shock on their faces. "Come on, I'll show you around!"

"But…" was all Mocchi was able to get out before the black-furred rabbit grabbed his hand and started leading him down the corridor. Hare followed after them, brown eyes darkening with thought.

Within a matter of minutes they had walked down a flight of stairs and arrived in front of another doorway. Eboni glanced back at her two new companions and smiled, then pushed open the door for them.

The room behind it was a vast, looming chamber with a high ceiling and brightly colored tapestries covering the walls. However, that was not what caught the attention of the two youngest searchers; it was the fact that a huge crowd of monsters filled the room. All of them appeared to be fairly young: there was not a single adult monster in the area.

"Wow," Mocchi breathed, already wide eyes nearly doubling in size as he stared at the scene before him.

"Nice place, huh?" Eboni teased him playfully, winking at the pink monster as she smiled mischievously.

Hare studied the area quietly, brown eyes shimmering as they took in every detail they could gather. As far as he could see, none of the monsters wore a Moo symbol, although he noted that several of the children were wearing articles of clothing, like a vest, shirt or some such item. He could even see a few monsters who wore ribbons on their tails or in their fur.

He could see the need for such things, however: there were so many monsters of the same breed types in the room that it would be difficult to distinguish one from another quickly without some visual hint. Scanning the chamber, he could already pick out several other Evil Hares close to Eboni's own age.

In fact, one of the other black-furred rabbits had already spotted them in the doorway, and waved at them, a bright smile on her face. This one quickly detached herself from a Weed that she was talking with and made her way over to them.

"Hey, Eboni," she greeted their companion with a grin. Indicating the two young rebels, she asked, "Are these two new here?"

"Yeah," Eboni replied, nodding back at her friend. "This is Hare," and she gestured in his direction, then pointed at the pink monster and continued, "and this is Mocchi."

"Hello, Hare, Mocchi," the other Evil Hare replied, and she curtsied briefly, the dark blue ribbon tied in the white fur at the top of her head bobbing with the movement. Her long ears twitched suddenly, flicking back in the direction from which she had come, and she glanced back over her shoulder in annoyance.

"I'll be right back, will you hang on a minute?!?" she called back, scarlet eyes flashing for a moment. Turning back toward the trio, she smiled apologetically and explained, "Sorry, but Bud gets nervous if I run off on him like that. Nice to meet both of you; I hope you enjoy yourselves here! Bye!"

With that, she turned and ran back toward the Weed again, and Hare heard her begin to scold the purple plant at once about 'not being very polite'.

"Eboni, who was that-chi?" Mocchi asked the black-furred rabbit beside him.

"Oh, that was Nightfall," replied Eboni, smiling as she watched the other Evil Hare upbraid the young Weed. "She acts tough, but she's actually pretty nice once you get to know her. She has a soft spot for the younger monsters; that's why she's sticking by Bud right now. He's a new arrival: Mew just brought him in…"

"_Mew_ brought him in?" Hare exclaimed, quickly whirling to face the black rabbit.

"…Yeah, she did," Eboni said, looking at him in confusion. "Of course Mew was the one who brought him here; she's always bringing in new monsters that she found. Wasn't she the one who brought you two here?"

"…I…think so…" Hare replied cautiously, brown eyes darkening with thought as he glanced over at Mocchi.

The pink monster returned his gaze firmly, wide eyes shimmering with confusion. Absently, Mocchi rubbed his bandaged chest with one hand, and Eboni stared at him, noticing the white fabric for the first time.

"Oh man, I didn't even see that you were hurt!" she exclaimed, garnet eyes wide with shock. "When did that happen?"

"When M–" was all Mocchi got out before Hare clamped his paw over the younger searcher's mouth. Mocchi glanced up at him in surprise, eyes wide, and the tawny-furred bunny shook his head slightly. After a few seconds, full comprehension dawned on the pink monster's face, and Hare, seeing that he understood, removed his hand again.

"What was that all about?" Eboni inquired, completely confused.

"Uh…" Hare rubbed the back of his head, smiling nervously.

"Eboni! Wasting time boring some newcomers with your foolish stories?" an imperious female voice called out suddenly.

"Oh no," Eboni moaned, rolling her eyes before turning to face the speaker.

Hare and Mocchi turned as well, and found themselves facing a pixie hybrid with dark lavender skin. The two youngest searchers immediately recognized her as the one they had overheard and seen the black-furred rabbit arguing with earlier. Despite himself, Hare sucked in a gasp: the pixie hybrid was half naga, as evidenced by her skin coloring, and that knowledge put the tan bunny on edge for a moment.

"Ali, just stay out of it!" Eboni was telling the half-pixie, half-naga irritably, her scarlet eyes flashing with anger and annoyance.

"Just who are these two unfortunates that you've chosen to have to listen to your complaining, hmm?" the pixie hybrid demanded, ignoring Eboni completely as she stared intently at the two young rebels. Both recoiled a little, unnerved by her deep blue eyes, so dark that they almost looked black.

"A couple of new friends," Eboni said defensively, stepping in front of them and glaring back at the pixie hybrid. "They're new around here, and I was just showing them around. Does that bother you for some reason?"

"Humph," sniffed the half-pixie, as she turned away and stalked past them into the room. However, she paused for a moment and glanced back over her shoulder at the stunned Hare and Mocchi.

"Do yourselves a favor and keep away from that dimwitted bunny," she hissed, dark blue eyes flashing. "She's nothing but trouble for everyone in this tower, what with her stupid stories and fantasies. That one always has her head in the clouds, so she can't see how pointless all her hoping and dreaming is…"

With that, she turned and stomped away, leaving the two young searchers behind with a fuming Eboni. The black rabbit pulled on her eyelid and stuck her tongue out at the violet-skinned pixie's back, then whirled away with a huff.

"What was that all about?" Hare asked.

"I'll tell you in a little bit. Let's just get out of here, in case she decides to come back and bug me even more," Eboni replied, stomping up the stairs.

Hare and Mocchi exchanged a puzzled look, then followed after her. As they walked up the winding steps, Hare took advantage of the long walk to study his surroundings, and to think about what Eboni had told them earlier.

From what he had seen, this did appear to be some sort of shelter for young monsters, just as Eboni had said. However, the fact that it was apparently being overseen and run by Mew bothered him a little. According to what Mocchi had told him, Mew was actually a baddie, an enemy who was working for the same master as Aqua Cutter…probably Moo himself, with their luck. Why would a baddie be taking care of so many young monsters…?

His first thought was that this was some sort of training camp, that the young monsters here were being taught how to fight so they could join Moo's army. But he dismissed this idea at almost the exact same time that he thought of it: none of the children looked like they were being forced to fight, in fact, most of them had appeared to be perfectly happy and content. Plus, he simply didn't get the same feeling from any of them that he got from an enemy.

However, he couldn't stop thinking about the argument that he and Mocchi had overheard earlier. Eboni had been complaining about something she found unfair…and that half-pixie, half-naga had told her to deal with it, that nothing was ever going to change…

…That pixie hybrid… there was something strange about her. It wasn't the fact that she possessed a Naga's blood, although he had to admit silently to himself that particular detail had helped to set him on edge while she was nearby. There was something… wrong… about her… he couldn't quite place it…

He shuddered as he recalled how she had glared at him with those dark, haunting blue eyes, then turned her back coldly on all of them as she advised him not to hang around with Eboni. She had looked so stern, unfeeling…yet at the same moment, he thought he had seen a brief glimmer of…what? Sorrow…? Despair…? He had the feeling that she had been deeply scarred by something, yet what that was he couldn't…

…Wait. When she had turned her back on them… hadn't there been something missing…?

Hare sucked in a gasp as realization suddenly dawned on him, and both Mocchi and Eboni glanced back at him.

"What's wrong, chi?" Mocchi inquired.

Hare did not answer him directly; instead, he looked directly at Eboni. She locked gazes with him, saw his wide brown eyes shimmering with fear and comprehension, and her scarlet eyes darkened slightly with concern.

"…Th…that pixie you were fighting with," he breathed, horrified. "…Her…wings…"

Eboni frowned, understanding coming over her features, and she turned away slightly.

"So you noticed," she said sadly, garnet eyes shimmering with remembered sorrow.

"What happened to them, chi?" Mocchi asked, looking up at both of the young rabbits in confusion.

Eboni sighed, then turned away and rested one paw on the wall before her: they were at the top of the stairs, and a doorway stood a few feet away from them. An awkward silence fell over the three, as the black-furred bunny stood there with her head bowed.

"…What happened to her?" Hare asked, more gently.

"…I'm sure that you also noticed that Ali is a half-breed, right?" she asked after a few moments.

"Yeah, a half-pixie, half-naga," Hare replied instantly, blinking. "…Why?"

"…Well, that breed is known as an Allure," Eboni said, red eyes partially veiled by her bangs. "…Do you know what some humans say about Allures?"

Hare and Mocchi both shook their heads no, and the black rabbit winced as she told them, "Some humans say that Allures suck the life force out of men."

The two young searchers gasped, startled, and Eboni nodded grimly. She had lost her earlier spunkiness, and her garnet eyes shone with a deep sorrow as she looked back toward the wall again, still resting her paw against its smooth surface.

"I know, it's a pretty nasty myth, isn't it? Because of that silly rumor, a lot of humans fear the Allure breed, especially where Ali came from… When…when she was unlocked, they… panicked. They saw her as a demon, a witch, and they…they…" Eboni's paws clenched into fists, and she closed her eyes as she forced herself to spit out, "They tore her wings off! They just ripped them right off of her body! She…she'd only been unlocked for a little while…and they…"

Hot tears rolled down the young Evil Hare's cheeks, and she quickly turned her face away from her two mew friends so they couldn't see her crying. Hare and Mocchi both stared at her in shock, wide eyes shimmering with horror.

"…Fortunately, Ali managed to escape from them," she continued after taking a few moments to calm herself down. The edge of her mouth quirked briefly as she added, "Obviously. She got away from the village, and survived all by herself for a long time, until Mew found her and brought her here. That's why she's…so testy sometimes… She doesn't agree with me at all…"

"…About what, chi?" Mocchi asked.

Eboni did not reply; instead, she turned away and walked over to the doorway. Opening it, she walked through. The two young rebels glanced at one another and followed her, and found themselves standing on a high balcony. Eboni was standing at the edge, arms resting against the stone railing, head slightly raised so that the wind ruffled her bangs, brushing them away from her scarlet eyes.

"It's a nice view, isn't it?" she commented, turning back toward the pair of searchers.

"Yeah, chi!" Mocchi agreed, eyes shining as he stared out at the surrounding landscape in awe.

Eboni smiled, but her eyes shone with a hint of sadness.

"Good. I'm glad," she said, "because this is all we ever get to see of the world."

"What?!" Hare exclaimed, whirling to stare at her with wide brown eyes.

"…Mew…doesn't let any of us travel outside," Eboni replied, shaking her head sadly, eyes becoming distant as her gaze traveled over the surrounding landscape. "She's always telling us that it's far too dangerous… that we'll be singled out and hurt, even killed, just because we belong to breeds most humans are afraid of. I mean, you must have noticed that most of the kids here are…from breeds like that…"

Mocchi had a blank expression on his face, but Hare nodded slowly, remembering how he had scanned the room earlier. There had been a lot of young monsters from the same breeds as the baddies they had fought in the past: Black Saurians and Dinos, Weeds, Terror Dogs, Cabalos, and…Evil Hares…

"…Mew says that the biases against certain monster types have only gotten worse over time," Eboni was saying, still gazing out toward the horizon. "Apparently, there was this really evil monster named Moo at one time, and he recruited a lot of monsters to help him take over the world or something… wipe out all humans… something like that. Anyway, because of that, there are some groups of humans now who are terrified of monsters that belong to the same breeding as the more common of his soldiers. Some people are just scared and try to avoid them, but others…"

"………" Hare winced inwardly, sensing what was coming next.

"I don't understand why some people have to be so afraid of us!" Eboni spat, paws suddenly balling into shaking fists at her side, and she struck the railing before her angrily. "Why is it that the actions of some individuals have to have such a terrible effect on others? Just because I happen to look like this, that means I have to be feared, be a bad guy? …I mean, who came up with the stupid idea of calling monsters like me 'Evil Hares', anyway?!? It isn't fair at all!"

Hare just nodded agreement, sighing silently. She was right; it really _wasn't_ fair that the breed was stuck with a name like that. Who _had_ come up with those names, anyway…?

"…Well, I refuse to hide," Eboni continued, her voice now carrying a dangerous edge as she whirled to face her two companions. "I don't care if some people choose to fear or hate me just because I look a certain way. This is me, this is who I am, and if they don't like it, fine! It's their problem, not mine! Why should I have to live my life in seclusion just because I belong to a certain breeding?"

She looked at her two friends: while Hare appeared to understand what she was saying, Mocchi appeared to be completely lost.

"But…why can't you just leave, chi?"

"…Like I said, Mew won't let us," Eboni sighed, grimacing with frustration. "I've tried talking to her, but she just refuses to listen to me. She insists that we'd be in danger if we go out into the world, 'cause some people would just assume we were baddies…that stupid Moo's been ruining it for everyone… You wanna know a secret?"

"What-chi?" Mocchi asked, blinking.

"If I ever find a way to get out of here…the first thing I wanna do is find Moo and beat him up," Eboni confided, a lopsided grin on her face.

"WHA-AAA-AATTT?!?" Hare and Mocchi exclaimed together, staring at the young Evil Hare in shock.

"Yeah! After all, isn't that guy supposed to be the one responsible for people being afraid of monsters like my friends and me anyway? So he should be punished, right?"

"Y-yeah…but," Hare protested weakly, a huge sweatdrop on the back of his head.

"We fought Moo already, chi!" Mocchi blurted.

"What?!?" Eboni shouted, whirling around to stare at the pair with widened garnet eyes. Hare and Mocchi sweatdropped in unison.

"Eboni…listen, Mocchi and I are part of a rebel group, called the 'Searchers'," Hare said slowly, watching the black rabbit carefully for her reaction. "We've fought against Moo before; in fact, we even managed to defeat him once. But now he's come back somehow, and we've been trying to find our friends so we can beat him again…"

"…You're telling the truth, aren't you?" Eboni said, more of a statement than a question. When Hare and Mocchi both nodded, she stared at them with wide garnet eyes, her expression a mixture between shock and excitement. After a moment, she asked, "But then, why are you here…?"

"We…were recently attacked by one of the baddies," Hare replied, hesitantly, unconsciously gripping his kerchief. "They…they tricked us and stole something very important from me, and hurt Mocchi…"

Suddenly Hare stiffened, his brown eyes narrowing slightly as he spotted something moving far below them. Walking to the edge of the balcony, he leaned forward for a closer look, wondering what… then his eyes widened with shock, and he gasped.

"Mocchi! Quick, come over here!" he whispered, motioning for the younger monster to come stand beside him. Mocchi walked up, confused, and Hare pointed in the direction that he was staring, saying, "Look!"

Mocchi followed his gaze, and the pink monster's eyes widened in surprise and delight.

"It's Genki-chi!" he exclaimed, ecstatic. "Genki-chi and the others!"

"Genki-chi?" Eboni inquired, walking up behind the pair. "Who's that?"

"He's a friend of ours," Hare replied, pointing at the small group far below them. "See that group down there? Those are our friends, the 'Searchers'…"

"Oh!' Eboni exclaimed, rushing to the edge of the balcony and staring down at the group in surprise. "Are they here to get you two? But how did they know you were here…?"

"…Oh no," Hare suddenly whispered, his face going completely pale.

Whirling away from the railing, the tawny-furred rabbit dashed back through the doorway and started down the stairs. Taken completely off guard, Eboni and Mocchi blinked in surprise, then the young Evil Hare grabbed the pink monster's arm and took off after the other bunny.

"Hare! What's wrong?" she shouted as she caught up with him.

"No time to explain right now!" Hare shot back, still running down the steps at top speed. "Eboni, where's the way out of here?"

"Eh? …The door Mew uses to get in is at the bottom of the tower, but there's no way to open it from this side…"

"I think I know a way," Hare replied, ignoring Eboni's startled reaction to that comment. "Look, Eboni, we have to get out of here and talk to our friends before they make a huge mistake…"

* * *

Genki gritted his teeth together in anger as he pushed on the heavy stone doors before him, sweat beginning to trickle down his face from the effort. The other rebels were attempting to force open the huge doors as well, and between all of them were managing to make some progress, however slow.

"I…really…wish…Golem…was…here," Suezo grunted, pressing against the hard stone doors with all of his might.

Serinity's verdant eyes shimmered faintly, and she glanced away as she whispered softly, "So do I…"

Holly winced at the sound of the pixie hybrid's faint whisper: the situation was bad enough as it was without Suezo reminding everyone of the fact that other friends of theirs were missing.

The doors creaked open as Genki flung his shoulder against it once more, causing the young boy to stumble forward with a yelp. The other rebels sweatdropped at the sight of their leader sprawled out on the floor before them, and Alan rolled his eyes as he strode past him.

"Hurry up, Genki," he called over his shoulder, as Scaler and the two Worms followed him into the fortress. "We can't spend all of our time lying around…"

"Oh yeah?" Genki fumed, leaping to his feet.

"Genki, please, let's just find Mocchi and Hare and get out of here," Serinity pleaded, gently placing one hand on the boy's shoulder. Glancing back at her, Genki saw the troubled expression on her face, and nodded agreement.

* * *

__

Why did they have to come here? Mew thought sadly, watching the small group of rebels from the relative safety of the shadows. They had invaded her fortress, yet she hadn't bothered to call any guards. In fact, except for herself, there were no baddies anywhere in her castle: after her encounter with the rebels earlier, she had dismissed all of her warriors until further notice, a move which surprised her forces almost as much as it had her.

She didn't understand anything she was doing anymore. Her temporary invasion of the rebel team had… caused her to change, somehow. She no longer felt the same way about her master's goals as she once did.

__

– Master…why do you believe that these rebels must be destroyed, when they are merely…children… –

As if in response to her silent query, the medallion at her neck began to pulse with an eerie sullen black radiance. The feline monster winced; there was a dull pain at her chest, and she absently reached up to adjust her Moo symbol.

The moment her paw touched its smooth surface, raw energy surged into her small frame, and the cat doll monster let out an agonized shriek. Dark-tinted, blackish-blue electricity coursed around her body, piercing through her skin, and she could only screech in pain as she toppled to the ground.

Dimly, she heard Serinity and Coltia shouting her name, and opened dimming emerald eyes to glimpse the rebels racing toward her fallen body. Some of them appeared to be on the verge of killing her; she saw steel glimmering in the scaled hare's paws, and a blue-gray-haired boy she had seen only briefly before her escape had a short sword in his hands, and was giving orders to a pair of hulking Worm monsters. Others, like the pixie hybrid, looked as if they didn't quite know how to react to her presence…

A ragged screech was wrenched from her tortured lungs again as another surge of black energy tore through her veins, and Mew felt herself move to stand without controlling it. She felt an odd sense of detachment from her own body, as if she was merely a bystander watching a puppet being manipulated by somebody else…

"Mew?" Genki was calling; the young rebel leader was watching her uncertainly, arms raised slightly in a sort of half-ready fighting stance.

He wasn't certain whether or not he should fight her. Foolish human boy: they were enemies, no matter what… no matter how she felt, she knew with a sudden calm certainty that she was supposed to fight these rebel warriors now, and win. Her master commanded it, and she always obeyed the master…

With a snarl that sounded nothing like the feline monster's normal battle hiss, she leapt forward to meet her opponents, foggy jaden eyes flashing with malice…

* * *

"Whoa! What was that?!" Eboni exclaimed, her long ears quivering as a horrible snarl echoed around them.

Mocchi and Hare heard the scream as well, and the tawny-furred bunny paled visibly while the pink monster froze out of shock. Then a howl sounded to answer the cry and both searchers gasped.

"That's Grey Wolf!" Hare shouted, and Eboni looked at him in confusion. Before she could ask whom he was talking about, he had whirled around and was bolting down the stairs again, saying, "We have to hurry, you guys! Come on!"

Mocchi and Eboni ran after him, only to find themselves stopping again after a few more minutes: they had come to the bottom of the tower, and a huge stone door blocked the entryway.

"Mew's way of making certain we don't stray away without her permission," Eboni commented, a somewhat crooked smile on her face as she looked at her two companions. "Okay, what now?"

"Okay…Mocchi, do you think that you could…" Hare's voice got softer as he quickly whispered something to the younger searcher, and Eboni watched them in interest, wondering what they were planning.

"Right, chi!" Mocchi said after a moment, nodding at his friend.

Hare nodded back, then took Eboni's arm and guided her away from the doorway.

"Sorry, but you'd better stand back," he instructed her.

Confused, Eboni stared at Mocchi: the younger monster's eyes were screwed tightly shut in concentration, and she gasped as a pale, rosy aura flickered into existence around his body. Glancing quickly over at Hare, she could see that the tawny-furred bunny was completely calm: obviously he had been expecting this to happen, unlike her… she looked back to see that the pink light had grown brighter, and she involuntarily took a few steps backward.

"MOCCHI CANNON!"

Pure, pinkish-white tinted energy surged out of Mocchi's gaping mouth and crashed directly into the thick stone doorway, and both Hare and Eboni shielded their eyes from the intense glow. After a few moments, the two young rabbits uncovered their faces and looked up to see a smoldering hole where the doorway had been.

"I…think you overdid it, Mocchi," Hare commented, sweatdropping slightly. He had meant for the younger monster to simply knock the door down with the blast, not blow it up, but whatever worked… besides, he didn't have the Phoenix's Tear with him, so he couldn't have simply done the job himself.

"…Whoa…" Eboni breathed, staring at what remained of the doorway in shock, garnet eyes wide.

"…Um…sorry about the door…"

"Heh, don't worry about it," Eboni replied, already starting to climb through the new opening. "Let's just hurry up and find your friends! I can't wait to meet them!"

"But Eboni," Hare cried, running after her, "it sounds like they're fighting, and…"

"Even better! I wanna help fight bad guys too, you know!"

"But Eboni…"

Too late: the young Evil Hare was already dashing across the courtyard, directly toward the sounds of battle. Hare sighed and went after her, Mocchi directly behind him.

* * *

"Torpedo!"

Mew grimaced with pain as the ice-blue bullet crashed into her crossed arms, and narrowed her emotionless jaden eyes at her attacker. The silver-furred lupine – the _traitor _– was charging up another attack, electricity crackling around his horns. Snarling, she lunged at him, and managed to nick his leg with her claws before he could leap away. However, before she could press her advantage, a blade flashed past her face, forcing her to back off for the moment.

"Grey Wolf, are you okay?" Holly shouted, darting over to the lupine monster's side while Scaler continued to distract Mew with his throwing knives.

"I'm fine," Grey Wolf lied through gritted teeth, forcing himself to stand. His leg throbbed slightly, yet he knew he had been lucky: the gashes were long, stretching up to his flank, but mercifully shallow enough to not cripple him for the moment. He could still fight on, although common sense dictated that he would need to retreat soon so that Serinity could heal him.

"Mew, please stop this! We're your friends, remember?" Coltia pleaded, caramel eyes shimmering as she watched the battle raging before her, struggling to deny what was happening.

"Look out!" Genki warned, and flung his shoulder into the girl's side, knocking them both down in time to avoid the blast of white-hot energy that seared through the space where Coltia had been standing mere seconds before.

"Colt, you have to get it through your head that she's our enemy!" he berated her, even as he helped the girl get to her feet. "Mew tricked us, Colt! She lied to us, made us think that she was our friend just so she could kidnap Hare and Mocchi…"

"You don't really believe that, do you, Genki?" Coltia asked, staring directly into the boy's face, locking eyes with him. The boy recoiled slightly, then quickly glanced away, but not before she noticed a glimmer of doubt in clear brown eyes. "Genki…"

"Hey, have you noticed what that cat's carrying with her, anyway?" Alan asked, falling back to stand in front of the pair with his sword at the ready. Both stared at him, and his sapphire eyes narrowed slightly as he continued, "She's got the Phoenix's Tear with her… who knows what that means for Hare and Mocchi…"

"…If she hurt them," Genki replied, forcing himself to stand and glare at the feline monster, "then she'll pay."

With that, Genki flung himself directly at Mew, bringing his fist back to strike her, Alan directly beside him.

* * *

"Wha-what's happening?" Eboni cried, stopping dead in her tracks as she gaped at the horrific scene before her. She had expected to come across a battle, but this… why were these humans and monsters attacking Mew? Weren't they the 'Searchers' that Mocchi and Hare had talked about earlier…their friends? They were supposed to be fighting the baddies… but then why were…?

"Oh no," Hare moaned as he and Mocchi stopped short behind her. "We're too late…"

"What do you mean? Why are they…"

Eboni abruptly gasped, her scarlet eyes widening as she glimpsed the expression on Mew's face. Even from a distance, she could clearly see the pure hatred and malice etched on the feline monster's face, the cruel, soulless glitter of her jaden eyes… it was a face completely different from the one she associated with her caretaker and protector, and yet, in the same instant, she knew with a terrible certainty that this was the same monster…

"Mew, stop!" she shouted, and suddenly she was running again, directly toward the battlefield, despite her two new friends shouting at her to stop…

* * *

Scaler heard an unfamiliar voice screaming, and turned to see a black-furred figure racing toward them. Violet-brown eyes gleamed with anger as he recognized the breeding at once, and immediately he whirled around to face the Evil Hare, paws blurring as he launched a stiletto directly at the newcomer.

The Evil Hare jerked to a stop as it glimpsed the small blade flashing toward it, and froze out of shock and fear, not even moving to dodge away… Suddenly Scaler's eyes widened as a tan blur crashed directly into his supposed enemy's back, knocking it out of the way. The blade missed both by a fair distance, but the green rabbit failed to notice this, his attention now completely focused on the scene before him…

* * *

"Are you alright, Eboni?" Hare inquired, helping the black rabbit to her feet.

"Whew, yeah, I'm okay, thanks," she replied, some of her shock at being attacked fading after a few moments. Glancing back in the direction of the battle, she wondered, "But why did they attack me…?"

"Scaler, it's okay, she's a friend!" Hare was shouting at the cloaked rabbit who had attacked her, temporarily ignoring her question.

Mocchi ran up behind them, and the youngest searcher screamed at the top of his lungs, "STOP FIGHTING-CHI!"

That got everyone's attention, as even Mew temporarily halted her attacking long enough to glance in the direction of the shouting. The feline monster's eyes widened slightly, regaining some of their normal light as they fixed upon the young Evil Hare in shock.

"Eboni…what…" Mew whispered faintly.

"Mocchi, Hare, are you both alright?!?" Genki shouted, running up to his friends.

Scaler, however, reached them first, and nearly yanked Hare's arm out of its socket as he pulled the tawny-furred bunny away from Eboni.

"Scaler, it's okay, she's a friend!" Hare insisted, pulling away. At the others' confused expressions, he sighed, wondering where he should start explaining.

"Eboni's our new friend, chi," Mocchi told them, smiling as he squeezed the young Evil Hare's paw.

"Eboni…"

The group turned to see Mew standing a few feet away from them, verdant eyes locked on the young Evil Hare. Scaler, Grey Wolf, Alan and Genki tensed instantly, although none of them moved to attack, instead watching the cat doll like a hawk. All could clearly see the emotions warring for control of the feline's expression: torn between murderous, soulless rage and a terrible, deep sorrow. At her chest, the symbol of Moo seemed to pulse with black energy.

"…Mew…what's happened to you?" Eboni asked softly, scarlet eyes wavering as she stared at her protector and friend. "Why…why are you attacking these people?"

"They are my master's enemies. All those who oppose Moo must die," the feline monster replied in a flat, emotionless tone.

"Moo?!? …Isn't Moo the one responsible for humans being afraid of monsters like my friends and me?!?"

"…Friends?" Genki wondered under his breath, only to have Holly shush him.

"Mew, why would you support Moo? He's evil, nothing like you at all!"

"Moo will lead the monsters into a new era, one without biased humans and monsters," replied the feline monster dully. "There will no longer be any unfair judgements made by anyone based on a monster's breeding…"

"Mew, it's because of Moo that those stupid feelings exist!" Eboni insisted, tears springing to her eyes.

Mew's eyes widened slightly with shock, shimmering faintly for a moment as the dark aura around her body weakened. Then, she violently shook her head in denial, baring her claws as she hissed, "No, you're wrong! It was the humans who saw me as weak, long before Moo appeared!"

"Why does that matter so much?" Serinity piped up softly, verdant eyes filling with sympathy as she stared at the feline monster.

"Mew, you taught everyone…you've always told us that it didn't matter what anyone else thinks of us, as long as we believe in ourselves," Eboni said, scarlet eyes shimmering as she continued to gaze deeply into her guardian's own emerald irises. "You've always said that our own opinion of ourselves is all that matters. …What makes it any different for you?"

"I…" Mew's eyes softened as she stared back at the black rabbit, no longer carrying the same deep hatred that they had been filled with during the battle. At her chest, the symbol of Moo pulsed with black light one more time before darkening.

"…Mew, I don't understand why you feel that you have to support Moo," Eboni told her. "But… no matter what you do… I want you to know that I think you're strong, everyone in the tower does. You don't need Moo around to prove that… we've known it… all along…"

"…Eboni…what…have I done?" Mew whispered, emerald eyes shimmering with tears as she took a few steps away from the group before her.

Before anyone could answer her, an all too familiar voice boomed out of the shadows, echoing around them.

"You've betrayed the master, you traitorous cat!"

A blast of pale blue light exploded directly in the center of the group, and everyone screamed as they were flung in different directions. As Genki flew backward across the courtyard, he was dimly aware of Hare crying out from somewhere nearby, the sound of his voice suddenly cut off as if silenced in mid-shout. Mocchi shouted as well, but the youth couldn't see where anybody was: the ice-blue radiance was too bright.

By the time the light had died away, the young boy had slammed directly into a wall, and lay sprawled beneath it in a daze, vision blurring badly. Shaking his head to clear it, he groggily raised his head in time to catch sight of a nightmare: Aqua Cutter stood in the center of the courtyard, laughing at the scattered rebels. A tan-furred figure hung limply over the reptilian's shoulder, and a pink-and-green body lay at his feet.

"Mew, you poor fool," Aqua Cutter taunted, crimson eyes glinting as he mocked the feline monster. "You had the little rabbit right in your grasp, and you failed to take full advantage of it. The master will be very displeased to hear of your disobedience… however, he will be pleased when I present him with our target…minus his main defense, of course…"

"Aqua Cutter! Let go of them!" Mew shouted, struggling to her feet.

"I think not, kitty cat. The master wants to meet this one, and as for his friend… well, one less rebel to worry about…"

"St…stop," Genki gasped, leaning heavily against the wall as he got to his feet.

The naga hybrid's only response was to laugh, and with a flash Aqua Cutter vanished with his two captives, just as Eboni leapt at his back. The black-furred rabbit passed through the spot where moments before the reptilian had been standing and barely managed to land on her feet.

"Hare! Mocchi!" she screamed, terrified. "Where did they go?!?"

"That's a very good question," Alan hissed, picking up his sword. Pointing it directly at the feline monster, the boy's sapphire eyes flashed as he demanded, "Where did he take them, Mew?"

"Alan, don't threaten her," Coltia pleaded, caramel eyes wavering as she stumbled up behind the blur-gray-haired boy.

"Why not? This whole thing could have been set up!" Alan insisted.

"That's stupid!" Coltia insisted, near tears again. "There's no way they could have set this up!"

"Alan is correct, Coltia," Scaler informed her, also pointing his sword's blade at the feline monster's neck. "For all we know, she may have been pretending to listen to this one's words in order to distract us."

"Scaler!" Genki shouted, upset by the green rabbit's stubbornness.

"He's correct you know. You have no way of knowing whether or not I was attempting to deceive you," Mew abruptly spoke up, calm despite the blades aimed toward her chest.

"Miss Mew!" Serinity exclaimed, shocked.

"However, you also have to understand that right now, I'm the only one who can help you save them," the feline monster continued, gazing at the searchers with her deep emerald eyes. "As a general of the master's forces, I know where Aqua Cutter has taken them. I can take you there as well, but only if you allow me to…"

Mew stared directly at Genki as she said this, knowing that he was in a sense the leader of the rebels. He gazed back at her, clear brown eyes shimmering with emotion, his expression unreadable save for his determination. After a moment, he sighed, closed his eyes and nodded.

"All right. We'll trust you to lead us to them," he decided.

"Genki!" Alan exclaimed, shocked.

"I knew that you would choose that," Mew said, nodding slightly. Turning away, she motioned for them to follow, saying, "Follow me. We'll need to use a couple of my Iron Birds to get there. I trust that at least one of you knows how to operate one…?"

"Mew, I'm coming too," Eboni piped up, running up beside the feline monster.

Mew paused and turned around, staring directly at the young Evil Hare. Deep emerald eyes met and locked with shimmering garnet orbs, and the feline monster froze as she saw the determination that filled the bunny's eyes. She had always known Eboni to be strong-willed, but this… she abruptly realized that she had underestimated the youngster, perhaps had been for a long time. Slowly, she nodded consent, and continued to watch as Eboni walked past her without another word.

__

– Eboni…please forgive me for my deception… I am still… weak…–


	12. Rescue Attempt Assault on the Enemy Bas...

* * * Episode Twelve: Rescue Attempt – Assault on the Enemy Base * * *

* * * Episode Twelve: Rescue Attempt – Assault on the Enemy Base * * *

"So where are we headed?" Genki asked, gazing out of the glass pane before him at the surrounding landscape, so far below the craft they rode on.

"It's a base that the master set up some time ago, a fortress that is cut off from the surrounding area by the mountains," Mew replied, never taking her gaze away from the controls as she piloted the Iron Bird forward. "A perfect location, and why we have to use the Iron Birds to access it."

"But why did we have to use two? Why not just one?" Genki inquired, glancing over at the yellow-furred feline.

"………"

"…Mew?" the youth inquired, turning to face his companion.

Silence was his only answer, as the cat doll continued to focus on the job before her, that of guiding the airship to its destination. Sighing, Genki glanced back over his shoulder, toward another huge window in the side of the Iron Bird. Unlike the one he and his friends had used once, long ago during their first quest together, this Iron Bird was built more like an airliner from his world. The huge, bulky craft glided through the air on huge wings that extended from either side, engines roaring as they pushed it forward.

Through the window, he could clearly see another Iron Bird of the same make and shape soaring through the clear skies behind them. Holly was in that ship, he knew, along with Alan and his Worms, plus Coltia, Scaler and Suezo. A faint smile appeared on Genki's lips as he recalled how the eyeball monster had complained bitterly about being stuck in the same craft as the green rabbit, but at the same time, he knew that Suezo refused to leave Holly's side. As he had put it before, "It's my duty to protect Holly! I'll even put up with that stupid jerk Scaler to stay with her!"

Genki hadn't overheard exactly what the scaled hare's muttered reply to that declaration was, but judging from the way Suezo's face had burned bright red for a moment, it had been pretty unflattering. The youth was secretly glad that he didn't have to be stuck in the same area as them this time, although at the same time he felt sorry for everyone else.

Not all of the other rebels were on the other Iron Bird, however. Grey Wolf and Serinity had both opted to stay with him, and both were currently gazing out of the window at the landscape below them. Serinity looked completely awestruck by the fact that they were flying through the air without her using her wings, the silver-furred lupine was considerably calmer about the situation. Had he known about Iron Birds, back when he was one of Moo's generals…? Genki quickly shook his head, stubbornly reminding himself that it didn't really matter why he was so calm…

His gaze traveled to another figure standing in front of the windows, and Genki's clear brown eyes shone with concern as they rested upon the newest addition to their group. The black-furred bunny was staring out of the window, garnet-stone eyes shimmering, pulling her purple vest tightly around her as if cold. She'd more or less forced her way into the team after Aqua Cutter had kidnapped Mocchi and Hare, stubbornly refusing to stay behind. The young Evil Hare insisted on coming along, saying that she was not about to be left out of the attempt to save her new friends.

Eboni's appearance had been a bit of a shock, although not as big as a shock that finding out exactly where she had come from had been. Genki shook his head in disbelief: an entire orphanage hidden in the center of a baddie fortress… he wasn't quite certain that he believed it, even though he had seen the tower with his own eyes, along with some of the other fosterlings. Before they had left, Mew had taken them to the shelter and spoken to the child-monsters there, instructing them to take care of themselves.

"Where are you going, Miss Mew?" one of the monsters, a young Weed which Genki noticed standing behind another young Evil Hare, had asked.

"Away," the feline's terse reply had been. "You guys will have to look after the castle yourselves for a while."

"Castle…interesting that she doesn't call it a fortress around the children," Scaler noted under his breath, violet-brown eyes burning into the feline's back.

"Are you going to be back soon?"

"Well, if you're taking that bratty Eboni along with you, there isn't really any need for you to hurry back," an Allure commented, a small smirk on her face as she eyed the black-furred rabbit standing with the searchers.

"Shut up, Ali," Eboni muttered under her breath.

"You'll have to look after yourselves for a while. Will you be alright by yourselves?" Mew asked, emerald eyes filled with concern.

"Yeah, we'll be fine," Nightfall, another Evil Hare who wore a blue ribbon in her fur, replied, smiling as she comforted the little Weed. "Just be sure to come back after you're finished with whatever you're doing, okay? Hurry back!"

"You don't have to…" Ali interjected, giving a meaningful look to Eboni, which the black rabbit ignored.

Mew had never told the children exactly where they were going, of course. None of the young monsters had any idea that their beloved guardian was actually a general in Moo's army…except for Eboni…

She wasn't taking it well. When they had boarded the Iron Birds, the young Evil Hare had climbed into the same vessel as her guardian, but refused to speak to the feline at all when Mew had started to talk to her. The young rabbit had simply retreated to the window and kept staring outside, unnaturally silent.

"Hey…are you okay, Eboni?" Genki asked, walking up to stand beside the bunny.

"………"

__

Ohhh boy… From what Genki had heard earlier from the other child-monsters at the shelter, Eboni was not someone who was normally quiet for extended periods of time. If she was anything like him in this regard, then her silence could only mean one thing: she was ticked off about something and sulking.

"Hey, come on, don't worry!" he prompted, grinning at her. "Mocchi and Hare will be alright, just you wait and see!"

Eboni looked up at him, blinking her huge scarlet eyes quickly in an attempt to clear her tears away before he could see them. Managing a lopsided grin, she nodded.

"Yeah, I know…"

Back at the front of the ship, Mew studied the pair out of the corner of one eye without appearing to take her attention away from the controls. She sighed quietly: if Genki thought that Eboni was only upset about the kidnapping of her new friends, then the boy was more naïve than she thought. Just as he couldn't see the real reason for her insisting on taking two Iron Birds: he had easily accepted the excuse that Alan's two Worms would take up too much room if they were all in one craft. Somehow, he had failed to notice that the pair of large monsters had easily fit in the storage area of the other Iron Bird…and since all of her ships were the same size…

Everything was almost ready. The older girl, Holly, now had the Phoenix's Tear with her: Mew felt a twinge of guilt as she recalled the sorrow she had glimpsed in the girl's bronze eyes as she took it from the feline. She had also noticed the looks that the boy with blue-gray hair, the eyeball monster, and the scaled hare had given her…they didn't trust her. Not that it mattered. Soon, nothing would matter…

"Miss Mew, are you alright?" Serinity asked softly, walking up behind the feline monster.

"I'm fine," Mew snapped, and cringed inwardly as she noticed the pixie hybrid's wince at her harsh words. The feline rubbed her forehead slightly with one paw and said, "Sorry. I'm a little stressed out at the moment…didn't mean to snap at you…"

"It's alright," replied Serinity, smiling faintly, although the cat doll could see a hint of sadness in the half-pixie's verdant eyes. "I'm really worried about them too… I hope that they'll be okay…"

"From what I've seen of that pair, I'm certain that they'll be fine," Grey Wolf reassured them, padding up behind the two female monsters. The silver-furred lupine smiled, his ice blue eyes lighting up as he saw Serinity manage a soft smile at him in return. Even Mew relaxed visibly at his words, and silently Grey Wolf thanked Tiger of the Wind, wherever he was now, for teaching him how to lie convincingly about how he really felt…

* * *

"Hehehe, I can't believe my good luck!" Aqua Cutter chortled as he slithered down the darkened hallway. "Not only will I be able to present to the master one of the biggest threats to his power, stripped of his magical pendant and completely helpless, but I also have another little hostage for him! And with Mew turned traitor, there's an opening for general just waiting for me…!"

He snickered, hissing faintly, and cast a quick glance at his precious 'gift' for the master. The little rabbit and the other young monster hung limply where he had cast them over his broad shoulders, and appeared to still be unconscious. A toothy grin spread over the naga hybrid's face, and he continued forward, thinking only of the rewards he would soon receive.

The notion even drove him to song, although his voice left much to be desired. His husky, rasping baritone soon filled the otherwise silent hallways, echoing off of the looming walls around him.

"Strike hard, strike fast, strike true~eeeee, Honor the name of Moo~oooo," he sung tunelessly, not caring in the slightest bit about harmony.

"…uuhhhn," Hare moaned, unnoticed by the serpent monster as he stirred: Aqua Cutter was singing so loudly that the bunny's faint groan was drowned out.

"Se-per-rate bodies from heads, 'cause the only good rebel is one that's de~aaa~ad!"

"Chiii…" Mocchi's eyes fluttered open for a moment, his vision blurring.

"Fight, fight, Extinguish the light, Give your all to serve Moo's might!"

Hare groaned again, and his ears twitched slightly. For a moment, his wavering brown eyes were filled with confusion, then suddenly widened with fear as he realized what was going on. Beside him, Mocchi gasped softly as he came to full consciousness and the two youngsters glanced at one another, terrified.

Aqua Cutter failed to notice any of this: the reptilian monster was completely caught up in attempting to sing the badly butchered verse that passed as a tribute to his master's power.

"No, nothing can defeat me, Not even-"

"CHERRY BLOSSOM BLIZZARD, CHI!"

The rest of Aqua Cutter's song was thankfully cut off as the tornado of flower petals lifted him up and flung him headlong into the nearest wall. The loud thud created by his impact echoed through the hallway. For a moment, the naga hybrid remained half-embedded in the dark marble, then he slowly slumped backwards onto the floor, eyes spiraling.

"…Ouch…" he whispered, dazed.

Then his vision cleared enough for him to catch a glimpse of two small figures darting away and down a corridor.

"…H-hey! Get back here!" he demanded, eyes glowing crimson as he struggled to right him and go after them. Of course neither actually listened to him, and both had vanished from his line of sight by the time that he had managed to get up. A huge sweatdrop appeared on the back of the reptilian's head: the master was NOT going to be happy about this…

* * *

"Find them! Don't let them escape!"

The assembled warriors all shouted agreement, then stormed off in various directions, spreading through the fortress in order to locate the two young intruders that were somewhere in the massive complex. Fortunately, in their haste, none of the baddies thought to check behind the closed door to one of the smallest rooms, little dreaming that said two little rebels were cowering behind it.

"Mocchi scared, chi," the younger monster confessed, trembling with fear as he gazed over at his companion with wavering eyes.

"Don't worry, none of them seem to be headed this way yet," Hare replied, keeping one ear pressed against the door. "We'll wait here till they've all left, then keep looking for an exit."

Stepping back from the doorway for a moment, Hare looked over at Mocchi and saw that the other child was still clearly frightened, curled up in a trembling ball in one shadowy corner of the tiny storage room. In an attempt to calm him, the bunny smiled lopsidedly.

"Hey, now, don't be like that!" he scolded, bright brown eyes shining with determination as he walked over and gripped Mocchi's hands in his. "We've been in worse scrapes than this before! We'll get out of here soon, I promise."

"…You mean it, chi?" Mocchi inquired, staring up into his friend's smiling face. "You think we'll be okay, chi?"

Hare grinned and nodded, and Mocchi brightened considerably. Seeing this, the rabbit quickly turned away so that the little pink monster would not see the doubt and fear that suddenly appeared in his wavering brown eyes.

__

I say that, of course, but I'm not really so sure, he thought, unconsciously gripping his bandanna. _It's just the two of us versus all of them…sure, we can try to keep hidden, but if we're spotted…_

__

* …And I don't even have the Phoenix's Tear with me, and without that… *

Hare sighed silently, and he looked up at the black, shadowy ceiling above them.

__

* …Everyone…if you're coming to help us, please…get here soon… *

* * *

"Do you see anything ahead of us yet, Suezo?" Coltia asked, looking over at the eyeball monster as he scanned the horizon before them.

"Nothing yet…just Mew's Iron Bird and a few mountains," Suezo replied, shaking his head.

"I don't like this at all," Alan complained, keeping a tight grip on the controls in front of his seat. "This is probably some sort of trap, you know…"

"Alan…" Holly sighed, hoping that the blue-gray-haired boy was not about to start that argument again.

"Even if it is a trap, we have to play along with it for now," Scaler observed mildly from where he sat behind the others, sharpening his blades. Weighing one of his throwing knives in his hand, testing its balance, he added, "I believe that she does know where Aqua Cutter took Hare and the other one, and is taking us there, but her reasons…?"

He twirled the stiletto in his hand around for a moment, then replaced it in its sheath and begun sharpening another blade. Suezo glanced over at him and shuddered: something about the calm way that the scaled hare handled his weapons unnerved him, although he couldn't explain quite why… Turning his attention back to the horizon, he squinted, hoping to finally spot something ahead of them other than the back of Mew's Iron Bird.

Soon, he noticed a shadow on the horizon, and narrowed his eye even further in concentration as he strained to make out what it was. After a few moments, he could make out the dark walls of a fortress standing out against the cliffs, and sighed silently. At least it looked like they were in the right area… Suddenly he noticed something else that made his blood run cold.

"…Ho…Holly…" he breathed, a tremor running down his back. Holly looked up at him in surprise, paling slightly as she noticed how his face had suddenly turned white.

"Suezo, what is it?" she asked, as Coltia, Alan and even Scaler glanced over at the eyeball monster.

"…Just…look ahead of us…" Suezo whispered in a trembling voice, unable to describe what he saw before them coherently with fears and doubts that were currently raging through his mind.

Confused, yet knowing better than to ignore her companion, Holly gazed out towards the horizon, bronze eyes shimmering with shared fear. Alan and Coltia stared forward as well, and the younger girl let out a gasp as she spotted what the eyeball monster had been attempting to warn them about. Alan frowned, sapphire eyes narrowing as he also found himself staring at the same thing that the others were, and unconsciously gripped the controls before him a little tighter.

"…Is…is that what I think it is?" Coltia asked weakly.

Suezo and Holly nodded in unison without taking their intense gazes away from the window. The small team of rebels could now clearly see that they were approaching a mountain fortress, one that appeared to be built directly into the surrounding landscape, but that was not what caught their full attention. Beside the massive structure of granite floated what appeared at first to be some sort of crystallized star, looming just above the impressive fortress in such a way that it cast its dark shadow over the building. The strange ebony structure floated impossibly in midair, the rays of the sun reflecting off of its many jutting edges and spikes and tinting the black marble crimson.

Out of the small group in the Iron Bird, only Holly and Suezo had ever seen anything like this strange dark star before, yet the two original searchers did not have to explain exactly what it was to their companions. They already sensed it: Coltia paled visibly and grabbed onto the seat before her for support, while Alan and Scaler stared at the structure with set, carefully controlled expressions on their faces. Both of the Worm monsters whined pitifully, shuddering.

"…Well, even if Mew is planning to betray us, at least we know that we're in the right spot," Suezo joked darkly, although his tone was anything but playful as he stared at one of the sights he had prayed he would never glimpse again…

In the Iron Bird ahead of them, the other members of the Searchers had already spotted the pair of fortresses. Mew looked at the sight before her impassively, emerald eyes dark with thought: she was the only one who failed to react visibly to the sight.

Genki's clear brown eyes had darkened the moment they rested on the dark star before him, and the youth glared solemnly ahead. The three other monsters with him all stared forward, all reacting to the scene before them in considerably different ways.

Grey Wolf snarled, hackles raised, ice blue eyes suddenly turning cold with remembered hatred. The silver-furred lupine tensed, every muscle in his body going taut, white fangs glinting briefly as he bared them. Serinity was trembling, face even whiter than normal, verdant eyes huge and shimmering with terror as she sensed the almost overwhelming presence of evil spreading out to engulf them as the Iron Bird flew ever closer. Eboni simply stared at the strange dark star, garnet eyes wide as they absorbed the horrifying sight. The young Evil Hare tensed visibly as she also became aware of the dark power radiating from the buildings before them, but was temporarily too stunned to react in any other way than simply staring, awestruck.

"…Genki…Hare and Mocchi…are they really somewhere in there?" she asked after a few moments, squeezing the youth's hand slightly. Genki returned the strong grip, not even bothering to look down at the bunny.

"They're in there," he replied simply, his clear brown eyes shining with resolve as he added, "and so is Moo."

Eboni glanced up at him, her wide scarlet eyes filling with shock for a moment, then gazed back toward the floating fortress. A determined frown crossed her face, and the young black rabbit felt her paws ball into fists as she glared forward.

"I figured that the master might have come here, especially if Aqua Cutter contacted him and let him know what was going on, but…" Mew let her voice trail off meaningfully, allowing the others to draw their own conclusions. Whether they believed that she did not want her master here or not did not really matter to her: in the long run, all that mattered were results…

"Do you think that they've spotted us yet?" Serinity asked nervously, leaf green eyes huge with dread.

As if in answer to her frightened query, the skies suddenly erupted with blazing light as the concealed cannons on the floating ebony fortress abruptly started firing. Mew hastily yanked the controls toward her chest, forcing the Iron Bird into a dive, but one of the lasers still grazed against the craft's side, causing it to shudder violently and sending its other occupants sprawling in all directions.

"Whoa-!" Eboni exclaimed as she skidded backward, landing on her tail. Latching onto the seat before her, she shouted, "What was that?!?"

"Hey, everyone okay?" Genki asked, steadying himself against the wall he had been flung against, holding his shoulder.

"I'm alright," Serinity replied, helping Grey Wolf stand up, but the pixie hybrid looked a little distracted. "What about the others?!?"

Suddenly the group heard a loud crackling noise, coming from the control panel. Mew was pressing a few buttons on the console, while struggling to keep the Iron Bird weaving through the seemingly endless barrage of lasers.

"Can you hear me? Come in!" the feline monster hissed, picking up an odd-looking hand-held device.

"…Mew?!? What's going on?!?" a familiar voice abruptly replied, causing the rebels to gasp in shock.

"Holly?!?" Genki asked, astonished.

"Here, you talk to her," Mew told the boy, flipping the strange device in his direction. Genki caught it easily, scrambling back up beside the feline monster and bracing himself against a seat.

"Holly, are you guys alright back there?!" he shouted.

For a few breathless moments, all that he could hear was Coltia wailing incoherently somewhere in the background, accompanied by Suezo's screaming and Alan cursing.

"Genki, is that you?"

The boy's shoulders slumped briefly in relief when he heard the familiar voice again, and replied, "Yeah, it's me. We're okay up here, what about you guys?"

"We're fine," and Holly's voice held an unmistakable note of alarm as she added, "But we saw you get hit, so we thought…_LOOK OUT!_"

Genki only had an instant to brace himself before the Iron Bird shuddered again, another laser finding its mark, and he gritted his teeth to avoid screaming into the speaking device. Behind him, he heard Eboni, Serinity and Grey Wolf cry out as they went flying again, and could almost picture Holly wincing in sympathy for them.

"Holly, you guys have to land before you get caught up in this too," he informed the girl, using a tone he hoped would keep the girl from arguing the point. "We'll be okay, but you can't get caught in this too!"

"But Genki…"

"He's right, Holly," Genki suddenly heard Alan interrupt the girl, and wondered how long the other boy had been listening to their conversation. "We have to pull back, or we'll be in serious trouble…Genki, you and the others have to bail out now, got that?!? I don't want you dying on me!"

Despite their grim situation, Genki actually smiled at that, and replied, "Same to you, Alan. Over and out."

"What the heck does that mean?" he overheard Alan mutter as he replaced the speaking device, and Genki couldn't suppress a short laugh at the other boy's confusion.

However, his amusement lasted only a few seconds, vanishing as the cockpit shook violently again. Bracing himself against the pilot's chair, Genki looked up to see that the sky seemingly aflame, crisscrossed with laser fire.

"All of you need to bail out," Mew said quietly in an even tone, glancing over at the boy with dark emerald eyes. "I'm trying to keep the Iron Bird underneath their attacks, so you should be able to jump out, but…"

"What?!?" Genki exclaimed, whirling to stare at her with clear brown eyes as wide as saucers. "Jump?!?"

"Don't tell me that you're scared," the feline monster commented mildly, arching an eyebrow meaningfully as she regarded the boy from one corner of her eye. As she had expected, Genki began to fume at that suggestion, and she quickly added, "There's no time for this. If you and your friends don't get off now, you will all die."

"She's right; let's get moving!" Grey Wolf snarled, and suddenly the silver-furred lupine was beside Genki.

Before the boy could react, Grey Wolf yanked him roughly onto his back, and raced back toward the entrance they had used when boarding the craft. Mew had already pressed a button to reopen it, and for a moment the lupine monster stood uncertainly at the opening, blue eyes focused on the ground that seemed so far beneath them. Hesitating, he glanced back toward the other three, checking to see that they were alright. Serinity had already scooped up Eboni, and the terror he glimpsed in the eyes of both prompted him to action.

"Hang on tight, kid," he prompted Genki, and hesitated just long enough to make certain that the boy obeyed. Feeling strong, youthful arms wrap around his chest and cling there, the silver-furred lupine took a deep breath and whispered, "Tiger, I hope I can pull this off…"

Then he leapt through the open doorway, wind buffeting his falling form, aiming his feet toward what he hoped was the ground that was rising all too quickly to meet him…

The instant that he left the opening, Serinity ran toward it, cradling Eboni in her arms as she sent a silent prayer up to any spirits whom might be watching to look after her friends. As she hovered in the open hatchway, her wings spread and taut for flight, her short orange-red hair whipping wildly around her pale face, she glanced back over her shoulder at the single remaining occupant of the bridge.

"Mew-san, please hurry!" she shouted, bright green eyes huge with terror. "We're running out of time before—"

"I ran out of time long before this moment," the feline monster whispered softly under her breath, too quietly for the two monsters standing on the threshold to relative safety behind her to overhear. Louder, she shouted, "I have my own way out of this situation; don't worry about me! Just take care of Eboni!"

Serinity hesitated a few precious seconds more, still staring back at the cat doll monster, frozen with indecision. In her arms, Eboni shuddered, garnet eyes also fixed on her guardian and protector. The young Evil Hare felt a surge of emotion as she watched Mew remain calmly in her seat, dark emerald eyes fixed on the task before her. For some reason, the firestorm searing the skies around them did not appear to bother the feline monster: in fact, she looked almost serene, an aura of tranquility that had never seemed to come to her guardian before surrounding her.

"…Mew…I'm sorry…" Eboni whispered, uncertain that her soft words were heard.

Finally, knowing that she could not wait any longer, Serinity leapt out through the opened doorway, clinging tightly to the black rabbit. If only her life had depended on her leaving quickly, then the pixie hybrid might have stayed longer, but she could feel the trembling of the young bunny's body, hear the thudding of the child's heartbeat so close to her own, and knew that she needed to protect this life as well as her own.

Silently, Mew pressed a button on the control panel before her, and the doors slid shut once more. Her deep verdant eyes shimmered as they reflected light from the firestorm before them, unflinching, unafraid. The symbol at her chest also glittered as it caught the light, and the cat doll briefly pressed one paw against its cold, smooth surface, sighing.

"I have my own way out," she repeated quietly, speaking only to herself: no other living things were in the Iron Bird. "Perhaps it's a coward's way out, but it is the only path left to me now. Forgive me, Searchers, but despite what most of you seem to believe, I cannot change… I have been too set in my ways, have gone on like this for too long…"

The edge of the feline monster's otherwise expressionless mouth quirked with what might have been the start of a grin, and she whispered, "But Eboni, now… yes, that is another matter entirely, is it not? …Please care for her, Searchers: I know that she will adapt to your ways easily, for she is not unlike yourselves… Give her a better life…than I ever could have offered her…"

Her paws rested on the controls before her, and with a look of serenity on her face that had never graced the feline's features before in her miserable life, Mew guided the Iron Bird forward, deeper into the heart of the blazing skies…

* * *

"…Uh-oh…"

Genki winced as he overheard Grey Wolf whisper an oath under his breath as they fell through the air, straight down. The lupine monster's tone was not promising, not at all… instinctively he tightened his grip a bit more, clear brown eyes narrowing as he braced himself as best he could.

Grey Wolf, meanwhile, was silently cursing, every single crude oath and swear he had learned from his older brother running through his mind at top speed. Belatedly he knew that he had misjudged the sheer speed at which they would plummet: he had jumped from high cliffs before, and knew how to slow a rapid descent to avoid serious injury, but he had never attempted it with a passenger, and _especially_ not from so cursed _high_…

Well, cursing his poor judgement wasn't going to solve anything… Every muscle in the silver-furred lupine's body tensed as he braced himself for impact, hoping to at least minimize the damage he and the boy would take. As the wind howled around the pair, Grey Wolf forced his narrowed blue eyes to remain open, so he could keep an eye on the ground that was rising up to meet them entirely too quickly for his comfort…

At the last possible second, he twisted slightly, shifting his weight so that his paws struck the earth first. A pure shock surged up through his legs, yet Grey Wolf bit back the yelp of pain that threatened to tear from his lungs, and threw himself sharply to one side, causing both him and the boy to skid through the tough gritty ground for a few seconds.

Lying sprawled where he came to a halt, Grey Wolf at first could only force himself to breathe, sucking air into his tortured lungs and forcing it back out, panting deeply. He dimly overheard Genki gasping as well, and hoped that the kid had gotten out better than he had…

A wave of sweet, pure energy abruptly engulfed him, and Grey Wolf sighed in relief as he felt his bruised body mend quickly under the soothing touch. Opening his eyes, he looked up to see Serinity kneeling beside him, verdant eyes closed in concentration as she willed her healing magic to aid her injured friends. After a few moments, the pleasant sensation passed, as she finished her work and came out of her half-trance.

"Are you alright?" she asked quietly, helping both of her newly healed friends stand.

"Yeah," Genki answered for both of them, flexing his mended shoulder experimentally. "What about the others, are they…?"

"Genki!"

At the sound of Holly's shout, the small group turned to see the other rebels running toward them, waving and yelling. Genki, Serinity and Eboni waved back, happy to see the others again, but then the pixie hybrid got an alarmed expression on her face as she noticed a pair of very obvious members missing.

"Where are…?" she started to ask, looking directly at Alan.

"Don't worry, they're okay," he reassured her, raising one hand to still her worried query. "I told both of the Worms to stay behind and guard the Iron Bird, in cause any of the baddies come across it. The last thing that we need is to come back and find our enemies waiting there for us…"

The others nodded agreement, seeing the wisdom of this move even as they remembered their current problem: they were on enemy grounds, invading a base they had never been to before, with swarms of enemy soldiers and possibly even Moo himself somewhere in its twisting depths…

"…We have to find Mocchi and Hare quickly," Holly told them, tightening her grip on the crystalline tear she currently carried with her as she spoke.

The other searchers nodded, but Eboni suddenly piped up, "Hey, where's Mew?"

All of the rebels fell silent at that soft question, exchanging quick glances at one another. Alan's face grew grim, and he glanced over at Holly, recalling silently how both had seen the final moments of the other Iron Bird. As he had fought to land their craft, they had seen a silver streak leap from an open hatchway: Grey Wolf, with Genki clinging to his back. Holly had cried out in horror, seeing the two plummet straight downward, then spotted Serinity as the pixie hybrid leapt out next, something cradled in both arms. Both had assumed…hoped…that she was carrying both Eboni and Mew, but now saw clearly that she had not. A few minutes later, the Iron Bird, gutted by gunfire, had suddenly burst aflame…

Understanding what their silence meant, the others dropped their eyes, none wanting to meet Eboni's inquiring gaze. Even the normally stoic Scaler looked away, dark violet-brown eyes veiled by his spiky bangs.

"…Mew must be alive," Genki whispered after a few minutes of awkward silence had passed, looking up at the others. "She's not one to simply…she's fine, I just know it!"

"Genki…" Holly couldn't bring herself to say anything more: the youth simply looked too convinced by his own words. Eboni was also staring at the clear-eyed boy, hope filling her garnet eyes.

"…It must be true," he decided, locking gazes briefly with the young Evil Hare.

"…Y-yes," Eboni agreed, nodding. Swiping an arm quickly over her face to wipe away the tears that shimmered in her scarlet eyes, the bunny then prompted, a hint of her normal spunk coming back into her voice, "Let's hurry up and find Hare and Mocchi!"

The rebels nodded agreement, as all of them turned their gaze toward the foreboding fortress that loomed above them, casting its dark shadow over their small band. Even the least experienced among them sensed that they were in serious danger. All of them would try to remain undetected for as long as possible, but if matters came to a fight…

* * *

Meanwhile, deep inside the fortress's walls, the two youngest members of the searchers were trying to find a way out before they were caught. So far, Hare knew that they had been lucky: by keeping mostly in the shadows and ducking into different hallways whenever they heard anything approaching, they had somehow managed to stay out of sight. The complexity of the building's layout was both a blessing and a curse: while the many twists and turns enabled them to safely escape whenever a baddie drew too close for comfort, at the same time, the path to the exit seemed to constantly elude them.

Secretly, Hare was worried about Mocchi: during their nightmare game of hide and seek with the baddies, the younger monster's wounds had started bothering him again. Of course, Mocchi, being as stubborn as his human partner could be sometimes, had refused to say anything about it, not wanting to upset his friend. Still, Hare knew what was going on: the pink monster's stomach and chest were aching again, his half-healed injuries reopening under their bandages, and the pain, stress and sheer exhaustion that Mocchi felt was beginning to creep up on him.

Hare sighed silently, absently gripping his bandanna for a moment. Even if the Phoenix's Tear had been with him, he couldn't have completely helped his friend out. With its powers, he could heal wounds, but not fatigue. Still, just being able to close completely those injuries that hurt the younger monster so would have helped his mood greatly…

For the moment they needed to concentrate on one thing alone: getting out of here as quickly as possible. Edging forward in the shadows, Hare carefully peeked around the corner, bright brown eyes raking the area before them. A winding staircase begun its spiral downward a few feet away, and Hare bit the inside of his lip, considering. It was possible that the stairs would take them down to an exit, but…at the same time, he knew that they would be very vulnerable while on them. The hallways were filled with nooks and crannies where a couple of small monsters could hide from unwanted attention, but on a stairway, they would be out in the open, exposed…

However, at the same moment Hare knew that they needed to take the chance. Glancing over at Mocchi, he nodded slightly, letting the younger monster know that they were going to make a break for it. Scanning the area one final time, the tawny-furred bunny did not see any enemy warriors, and made a swift signal to Mocchi.

The two youngest searchers then sprinted forward, side by side, toward the stairway. Hare reached it first, and after a quick glance over his shoulder to make certain that Mocchi was keeping up, started down the steps at full speed. His logical mind warned him that running down stairs was a very dangerous activity, but that did not matter at the moment. All that mattered was getting out of here before…

"Ah, so there you are!" a raspy voice proclaimed loudly.

Hare and Mocchi both skidded to a stop as they heard the all-too-familiar voice calling out to them, and the pink monster nearly crashed into the bunny's back. Both turned their horrified gaze to the bottom of the staircase, shuddering. A pair of gleaming reptilian eyes glared back up at them, and as the two young rebels recoiled, Aqua Cutter crossed his arms over his chest and grinned.

"Naughty, naughty children, trying to run away from me," he teased, sneering as he slowly began to ascend the stairs.

"Come on, chi!" Mocchi cried, seizing the paralyzed Hare's wrist and yanking him back to full awareness.

The two started back up the stairs, fleeing the snake monster behind them, but as they came to a small platform where the stairs made a sharp turn, Hare gasped and froze, pulling Mocchi to a sudden halt beside him. It only took a moment for the younger monster to notice the shadow that fell over the stairs above them, and as his widened eyes traced it back to its source, Mocchi's mouth fell open in a silent scream.

"My, my, surprised to see me?" Vanity queried, a cocky smirk twisting her ruby lips as she regarded the two startled children. Her sneer grew wider as she noticed Aqua Cutter ascending the stairs behind them, and her jaden eyes glowed as she mocked, "Well, nice to see you again, oh mighty hunter. As you can see, I have already found your so-called captives, and will take them to the master myself."

"Stay out of this, Vanity!" the naga hybrid snarled, as Mocchi and Hare glanced back at him in growing terror. "These are my captives, not yours!"

"Oh, really? They don't really appear to be under your control, now do they?"

Aqua Cutter grimaced, and continued to slowly advance up the stairs toward the young rebels, while Vanity simply smirked and started down, cold jaden eyes shimmering with malice. Hare and Mocchi found themselves back to back, watching the two baddies approach in growing alarm. Hare dropped into a defensive pose, knowing that without the added powers of the Phoenix's Tear aiding them, their chances of escaping the assault from both sides would be slim…

"Leave us alone, chi!" Mocchi shouted, and suddenly the pink monster lunged at Vanity.

Startled, the golden-skinned pixie hybrid nimbly sprang out of his way, and as she floated a few feet above the stairs, Aqua Cutter took advantage of Mocchi's distraction.

"Cherry Blos—" Mocchi's cry was cut off in mid-sentence as the naga hybrid's fist flashed out and connected with his cheek.

"No, Mocchi!" Hare cried out, seeing the younger monster collapse.

He started to run toward his friend, but Aqua Cutter was suddenly in his way, and before Hare could react the snake monster had seized him by the shoulders and pinned him to the floor. Gasping, the bunny stared up into the baddie's leering face, his widened brown eyes wavering with fear.

"The game ends here," Aqua Cutter hissed, crimson eyes glowing faintly.

Staring up at the reptilian monster's triumphant grin, heart pounding wildly in his ears, Hare felt his wavering eyes widen as another sneering face interposed itself over Aqua Cutter's features in his mind's eye. Trembling, terrified, paralyzed by fear both new and remembered, the young bunny did the only thing he could think of at the moment: shutting his eyes tightly, he began to scream at the top of his lungs.

"Hey, what—" Aqua Cutter exclaimed in surprise, his narrow eyes going huge with shock. Grimacing, he recoiled, struggling against the instinct to cover his ears to shut out the horrible racket. Not seeing the baddie's hesitation, Hare continued to scream wildly, driven by his overwhelming fear.

However, Mocchi saw the opening created by Aqua Cutter's distraction, and took it. Ignoring how his injured chest throbbed at the movement, the pink monster rolled into a ball and launched himself directly at the naga hybrid, slamming into his back. Taken off guard, Aqua Cutter was sent flying by the blow, tumbling down a few stairs before coming to a groaning halt.

"Ah hahahahaha! Poor Aqua Cutter, it looks like your prey is not as helpless as you thought!" Vanity taunted, floating down to hover just above the sprawled-out serpent. "Honestly, your so-called victims just walk all over y—eyaugh!" The rest of her taunt became a surprised scream as Mocchi suddenly slammed into and bounced off her back, knocking her down.

"Come on, chi!" Mocchi called, and Hare stopped wailing abruptly as he opened his eyes to find the younger monster standing over him instead of Aqua Cutter. Too stunned to fully understand what had just occurred, the bunny accepted his friend's aid in getting up, and together the two youngest searchers sprinted down the stairs, leaving the two stunned baddies lying in a heap behind them.

Shaken by their close encounter, the two youngest searchers ran blindly through the twisting hallways, until finally both were too tired and stressed to keep moving, and had to take refuge in another large room so they could rest. Hare shut the door behind them, frowning as he noticed that there was no way to lock it. True, barricading the door might work for a while, but he also knew doing such a thing would work against them as well: if one of the baddies attempted to come in and found the way blocked…

So, leaving it simply closed, the tawny-furred rabbit walked over to where Mocchi was already crouching in the shadows, his pale-skinned figure almost completely concealed by the darkness. Finding some old body armor propped up in a corner, Hare moved it so that it stood before them, blocking them both from view, then sat down beside the younger monster.

"Mocchi…are you okay?" he asked, concerned: the pink monster's bandages had come partially unraveled during the short struggle, and the bunny could see clearly that the old wounds were beginning to bother him again, although Mocchi fought to hide this.

"I'm…fine, chi," Mocchi replied, managing a weak grin up at his friend.

Hare only frowned, seeing the veiled pain behind the younger monster's forced smile. Without his pendant, however, he couldn't do much of anything to help him: just keep an eye on the door and hope for the best…

Lost in his thoughts, he failed to notice the sheer size of the chamber, or how a single speck of flickering black light shimmered on the raised dais at the far end of the room…

* * *

"Ready…NOW!"

With that, Alan jumped forward, bringing the hilt of his sword down hard on the head of the baddie closest to him. Before the startled monsters could react to the ambush, the blue-gray-haired boy had already reversed his sword, and brought it crashing down again on his stunned victim.

In the shadows, Serinity winced and looked away, folding her cat-like ears back to muffle the noise of the struggle. She felt Scaler and Grey Wolf spring past her to join in the battle…more like a rout now…and felt tears fill her tightly shut eyes despite herself. She understood that her friends were simply protecting them, that the enemy needed to be defeated, but…

A hand squeezed her shoulder, and Serinity opened her eyes and looked over to see Holly standing beside her. Sympathy and understanding shone clearly in the human girl's bronze eyes.

"Are you okay?" Holly asked, even though both of them knew the answer already. With a short sigh, Serinity shook her head no.

"We should concentrate on finding our friends, not…"

"…And how do you propose that we do that?" Scaler suddenly inquired, turning around to face the other rebels. Serinity jerked and stared at him in surprise: the scaled hare's tone was not accusing or harsh this time, but merely inquisitive, almost like her comment intrigued him.

"…Well…I…" she faltered, unsure.

"If you have some method of dealing with the enemy without killing them, then kindly share it with us," Scaler prompted, dark eyes burning into the pixie hybrid. Glancing over his shoulder, he added, "You may have to tell us quickly; I can hear more of them coming closer…"

Serinity looked up at him, verdant eyes still bright with tears, then stared in the same direction that he was looking. She could just barely hear the sound of footsteps drawing closer. A quick glance around at the faces surrounding her offered no answers, no clues as to what the next move should be. A cold chill ran down her spine: she needed to come up with something, _anything_, before they ran out of time and the warriors in their team were forced to spill blood again. But she was no fighter, and…

She gasped, the thought and the idea coming to her in the same instant. Standing up quickly, she forced herself to point her hands, fingertips glowing, in the direction of the approaching soldiers. The other rebels stared at her, looking startled, as she launched her Scattershot technique directly at the baddie squadron.

It missed, of course: she was no fighter, lacking the training and discipline to make such an attack accurate in any other way than making it go in the general direction she wished. But that had been her intention. As she had hoped, the sudden eruption of flashes of bright, blinding verdant light in the hallway suitably spooked the baddies, and she caught a fleeting glimpse of the horrified expressions on their faces before they turned and fled.

"…Nice," Scaler commented mildly, arching an eyebrow in mild surprise as he watched the warriors retreat. "Drive them off without harming them, and hope that they're too stunned to report such a strange occurrence to their master. …Well, whatever you believe will work…"

"…Let's get going," Genki prompted, skating forward.

The other rebels trailed behind him, and Holly tightened her fingers around the crystal she held clenched in both hands. The Phoenix's Tear felt vaguely warmer: was that simply her imagination, or were they closer to finding its true bearer…?

"Hey, why don't we check in here…?"

Turning around, Holly saw Eboni pushing open a pair of wide marble doors. Before she could tell the young Evil Hare to stop, the bunny had managed to force open the doorway enough to slip through. Holly quickly followed after her, praying that Eboni's choice to investigate this chamber wouldn't get them killed. It appeared large enough to house an army…

"Whoa, check this out!" Eboni piped, and Holly entered to find the dark-furred bunny spinning around, garnet eyes wide as they took in the massive chamber.

"Eboni, we should go, I don't think that they're in here…" Holly's voice trailed off as she suddenly realized that her Magic Stone was glowing brightly, and she quickly covered it with one hand, not wanting the light to give them away.

"Holly, Eboni, what are you doing in here?" Serinity asked, walking in behind them.

"Eboni…" Holly started to explain, only to stop in mid-sentence as another soft query drifted toward her from the shadows.

"…Holly? …Is that you?"

Disbelieving, Holly turned around, bronze eyes wide with shock as they scanned the area around her. The Magic Stone grew brighter, giving light to the darkened chamber, and Serinity and Eboni joined the girl in staring toward a shadowy corner guarded by some old suits of armor. After a moment, a pale face hesitantly peeked out at them from behind the ancient suits, brown eyes looking huge and luminous in the bright glow.

"Holly! Serinity! Eboni!" Hare shouted, clearly relieved to see them. "Over here!"

"Hare! You're alright!" Eboni cried, reaching her friend a few seconds before the others. "Where's…oh." She winced visibly as her gaze fell upon Mocchi: the youngest rebel's face was paler than normal, and she could see that his wounds had partially reopened.

"Oh, Mocchi!" Serinity whispered in sympathy as she fell to her knees beside him, leaf green eyes bright with withheld tears as she quickly cast a healing spell on his wounds.

"Here," and Holly handed Hare the Phoenix's Tear before standing up. "Put that on, I'll go find the others. Genki…!"

"Huh, Holly, what is it?" the boy called back, turning around to see Holly standing in front of an opened doorway.

"We found the others; come quickly!"

"What?!?"

As Holly had expected, that brought the other rebels running back at full force. Scaler quickly pulled Hare to his side, violet-brown eyes raking the shadows as if he expected an attack to come at any moment and tear them apart again.

"Let's go," he ordered, glaring at the other searchers as they talked excitedly among themselves, enjoying their reunion. "I have a bad feeling about this place…"

"Yeah, we should go," Hare seconded hastily, seeing Suezo and Genki glare angrily at the scaled hare. "If Mocchi's healed now, we should concentrate on going before…"

"I'm okay, chi," Mocchi assured the others, standing up with Serinity's aid. Looking up at Genki, he said, "Let's go, chi!"

"…No," Hare abruptly whispered, causing the others to stare at him in surprise.

"…Hare? What's wrong?" Eboni asked, shivering slightly at the sudden change in her friend's attitude.

Hare jerked and looked up, and the other rebels recoiled at the stark fear they saw shimmering in his wide brown eyes. The Phoenix's Tear was glowing, casting shadows over his pale face, and he seemed to gaze past them, toward the far end of the room.

"…He's coming," Hare whispered, voice trembling with emotion.

Before the others could ask who he meant, the doors slammed shut, and the room erupted with bright light. Looking up and shading his eyes with one hand, Genki saw the source of the sudden light: orbs embedded in the walls now were glowing brightly with a strange, black-blue aura. On the raised platform at the end of the room, something else pulsed with the same dark aura, and the searchers stared toward it in shock as a cloaked form materialized there, black cloak billowing as it was caught by the sudden gust of cold wind that filled the chamber.

Jumping to his feet, Genki immediately assumed a protective stance before the others, his clear brown eyes filling with recognition and hatred. Scaler was suddenly beside him, violet-brown eyes flashing with anger, long leather cloak billowing around him as it was also caught in the cruel, cutting breeze. The green rabbit stood in front of Hare and Eboni, a long-bladed sword in both paws as he dropped into a defensive stance, blocking the path to the two younger rabbits. Alan also drew his blade and stood on Genki's other side, sapphire eyes locked on the figure before them.

On the platform, Moo studied the group of rebels standing in front of him with glittering crimson eyes, muscular arms crossed over his chest.

"So we finally meet again, rebels…"


	13. Broken Mask Shattered Hope

* * * Broken Mask – Shattered Hope * * *

* * * Episode Thirteen: Broken Mask – Shattered Hope * * *

Moo's blazing crimson eyes glittered with faint amusement as they swept over the small band of rebels before him. Although the mask over his face concealed any expression, Hare had the distinct feeling that the baddie leader was smirking. He obviously knew that they were at a serious disadvantage…with Tiger and Golem still missing, they had no way to summon the Phoenix…

Still, Hare knew that there was no way to avoid a confrontation right now. At least Moo wasn't in his ancient body…even if he had managed to come back somehow, it seemed as if their prior defeat of him had some lasting effect…

__

How did Moo manage to come back, anyway? Hare couldn't help wondering, even as he summoned a fiery shield to surround his friends, protecting them from attack as long as they stayed close to him. _I thought the Phoenix had destroyed him…or did she just destroy his ancient body? …If that's what happened, how did his mind find a new host to attach itself to?_

Unbeknownst to him, at the same moment, Holly was staring at the monster before them and asking herself the exact same question. Wavering bronze eyes swept over the armored titan, picking up on little differences that made her already violently pounding heart beat faster and faster.

Moo looked…different than he had before, she forced herself to silently admit. Although at first glance, he looked exactly the same, with his ebony mask, flowing black cape, and shimmering bronze and golden armor, she could tell by looking closer that he had changed… His towering figure seemed a bit less muscular than she remembered, looking a bit trimmer, sleeker, but no less imposing. It was like the impressive bulk that the evil leader had boasted before had been replaced by a more athletic figure, one that hinted at more speed, more cunning than before…

__

- …Father…is that you in there, father? …Or someone else…? -

"Moo!" Grey Wolf snarled, glaring at the evil commander with flashing blue eyes. "Do you remember me, Moo? …What you did to me before?"

"…Hmm? Ah, yes…Grey Wolf…you were one of my finest warriors before…why are you helping these fools now?" Moo sneered, red eyes blazing as they raked the silver-furred lupine.

"Do you really need to ask that, Moo?" Grey Wolf snarled, lips curling back to reveal glistening fangs as he dropped into a battle crouch. Ice-blue electricity crackled around the wolf monster's horns, and with a howl he launched his Lightning attack directly at the enemy commander.

Moo simply sidestepped the attack, and as Grey Wolf charged directly at him, the golden-armored titan's hands began to pulse with dark-tinted energy.

"Grey Wolf, watch it!" Genki shouted, pushing the silver-furred lupine to the ground.

At the same moment that the two hit the floor, a blast of black electricity surged through the space where the wolf had been a moment before and crashed directly into the fiery barrier Hare had summoned. As the tan-furred bunny hastily used his magic to dispel the attack, the other rebels acted. Alan and Scaler charged Moo, blades flashing, while Eboni ran over to where Genki and Grey Wolf had landed.

"You guys okay?" she asked, helping them up.

"Yeah, we're fine," Genki said, getting up and glaring at Moo. "But he's not gonna be…hey Mocchi, you ready?"

"Chi!" Mocchi called back, nodding.

"Alright! Let's get him!" Genki shouted, and both leapt directly at Moo, feet aimed directly at the baddie's chest and face.

Moo simply stepped aside and watched the two shoot past him, crashing directly into each other. The other rebels winced in sympathy and sweatdropped.

"…Oh, yeah, that worked really well," Suezo commented mildly, eyeing the two as they rolled to a stop beside him.

"…Shut up," Genki howled, standing back up and glaring at the eyeball monster. "At least _we're TRYING_ to help, instead of cowering behind a shield like you…!"

"…Genki," Hare piped up, sounding a little hurt by the way the youth had sneered 'shield' as well as a bit annoyed at the fact that the two were arguing now, "couldn't this discussion…wait until…a little later?"

"…Oh. Whoops," Genki said, smiling a little sheepishly as he looked up to see that most of the other rebels were attempting to battle Moo.

Unfortunately, Hare could tell that they weren't having much luck. Nothing appeared to be having any effect: Scaler's throwing knives flew uselessly past their target, and even his sweeping blows with his sword seemed to always just miss the baddie, much to the scaled hare's obvious annoyance. Alan was having no better luck with his blade, and the blue-gray-haired boy gritted his teeth in anger even as he lashed out again.

"Torpedo!" Grey Wolf shouted, and cursed as he watched the icy projectile fly past his target.

"I…didn't realize…Moo was so fast!" Eboni panted, brushing her ruffled bangs away from her wide scarlet eyes as she came to a stop beside the silver-furred lupine.

"He wasn't…at least, not before," Grey Wolf muttered, ice blue eyes darkening slightly with thought. Eboni cocked her head to one side, confused, then shrugged it off, seeing that the silver wolf was not about to say anything else.

"…Well, whatever. Let's just beat this creep up, okay?" she asked, paws balling into fists as she whirled to face their opponent again.

"………" Grey Wolf blinked, taken aback by the younger monster's bluntness. After a moment, the edge of his mouth quirked in a small smile, and he tensed for another attack, saying simply, "Okay…let's do it!"

The two charged together, but Grey Wolf noticed that Eboni suddenly fell back slightly as they drew closer to Moo. Wondering why she had abruptly chosen to back off, he nonetheless went forward, launching another lightning bolt at Moo. The enemy leader evaded easily, and raised one glowing hand high to strike the silver lupine. Just as he was about to attack, however, a black streak came crashing into him from behind, and as Moo stumbled, thrown off balance, Eboni sprung away again and landed beside the surprised Grey Wolf.

"THERE! I finally hit him!" she beamed, grinning from ear to ear as she glanced over at the startled-looking lupine. Frowning as she noticed the confusion on his face, she asked, "Hey, aren't you guys going to attack him?"

In response, Grey Wolf simply whirled around and pounced on top of Moo, taking full advantage of the baddie's distraction. Knocking his former leader to the ground, the lupine monster bared his fangs in a snarl, growling. Blue electricity pulsed around his horns again as he charged his Lightning attack.

"…At this range…I won't miss," Grey Wolf muttered, pale blue eyes seeming to flash brighter than the electricity pulsing around his horns.

"…You think so?" inquired the enemy leader, red eyes glittering faintly with amusement. "…Honestly, Grey Wolf, you have always been so…weak…and foolish…"

"…What?" Grey Wolf asked, eyes widening slightly with surprise.

Then the lupine monster screamed in agony as white-hot energy tore through his body, pulsing into him from both sides. With the part of his mind that was still able to think, Grey Wolf suddenly realized his mistake, and cursed silently: in his distraction, he had failed to notice that Moo had quietly moved his hands so that they were cupped around the silver-furred monster's body. Now black electricity pulsed between Moo's fingertips, catching his victim in their deadly arc.

"No, Grey Wolf!" Eboni screamed, and suddenly something latched onto the lupine's tail and yanked, hard.

Still, that pain was minimal compared to the agony he had felt while caught in the spell, and Grey Wolf gasped in relief as he felt himself fall away from Moo's body, allowing himself to be dragged back to where Hare still stood casting his shield. Almost immediately, he felt gentle hands prop him up, and gasped again in relief as he felt pure, cool, soothing energy course into his body.

"Grey Wolf, are you alright?" Serinity asked, frantic.

"…Y-yeah…yeah, I'm okay," he replied, stumbling to his feet.

However, he almost immediately slumped back down to the floor again, and as Holly and Coltia bent to help the silver lupine back to his feet, Hare glared up at Moo with blazing brown eyes, thoughts raging.

__

* This is insane! Moo's way too strong…no matter what we try, it doesn't look like anything has any effect! …If only Tiger and Golem were here so we could summon the Phoenix… *

At his chest, the crystalline tear burned fiercely with bright crimson light. Hare glanced down at it, cupping his paws around it, and then looked back up at the battle raging before him. A new understanding dawned in his eyes, and he slowly stepped out of the shield, ignoring how Holly gasped and grabbed at his shoulder.

"…Hare? What are you…?" Eboni asked, getting up to follow her friend. However, Coltia caught the Evil Hare's shoulder and pulled her back into the safety of the shield.

"Moo! If you want to fight, fight me!" Hare challenged, the Phoenix's Tear flaring into brilliant, blazing light at his chest. A fiery battle aura burst into life around him, and as his friends and allies stared at him in shock, Moo turned to gaze in his direction.

"Ah…yes. So you sense it too, then," he commented, his deep voice holding hints of amusement and disdain. One could almost picture a haughty smirk on his face, although his mask prevented him from showing any expression. "As the bearer of the Phoenix's Tear, you surely must realize that you are fated to oppose me…even though you must also understand that you will lose."

Hare did not answer, but his brown eyes seemed to blaze with an inner fire, glowing with determination, and he solemnly gazed up at the leader of the evil monsters. He took a step forward, and Scaler made a desperate grab for his shoulder.

"Are you insane? He'll kill you!" he shouted. Hare glanced back at him, and a slight smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he locked eyes with the elder rabbit. Scaler's normally cool violet-brown eyes shone with horror, and he reached out toward him again, saying, "He'll destroy you if you try to fight him alone! Just let me handle this, okay?"

"He's right, it's too dangerous!" Genki added.

"Don't do it, chi!"

"It's okay," Hare answered, smiling faintly in their direction, the crimson aura still flickering around him. "Remember, I've got the Phoenix's Tear with me, and that's the closest thing we have to the actual Phoenix right now. I'm the only one who can face him safely."

"But Hare…" Holly started to protest, stepping forward. Suddenly, a glowing red shield flared up around the other rebels, and they cried out in surprise.

"Please, just believe in me," Hare pleaded.

Turning away, the tawny-furred rabbit stared back at Moo. The evil titan had his arms crossed over his chest, and he seemed to regard the little monster before him with a mocking glint in his eyes.

"To make this fair, I won't bother to attack your puny friends," he offered, his voice completely confident. Hare smirked slightly and nodded, but the barrier around the other rebels remained up.

"Since when is Moo interested in fighting fair?" Suezo commented, giving the others an odd look. Grey Wolf glanced back at him and shrugged, then turned his attention back to what was happening before them.

Moo made a grand sweep with one armored hand, and his black cloak billowed out behind him as a deep violet-black aura surrounded his body. His crimson eyes flared, and the fiery aura around Hare's body seemed to brighten in response to the evil monster. The other searchers watched in near silence, unconsciously drawing closer to one another. Mocchi's hand pressed into Genki's, and the boy gave it a slight squeeze in response. Suezo leaned up against Holly's side, and Coltia hugged Eboni, holding the black-furred bunny tightly in her trembling arms. Serinity stood frozen, her bright green eyes huge and wavering with fear. Scaler and Alan watched solemnly, their swords ready at their sides, the sharp blades reflecting some of the light from the two auras.

Hare and Moo stared at one another, eyes locked. Both stood silently for a few seconds, seconds that seemed to stretch into eternities for those that watched the standoff and waited.

Then Hare let out a soft gasp, and Moo roared as he launched a black wave of energy at him. Pointing both paws at the baddie, the rabbit retaliated with a blast of crimson fire, and the small fireball crashed into the sweeping beam at full force. The two energies clashed and vanished, each destroying the other, and suddenly Moo was surging forward, his long hair and ebony cloak billowing behind him as he reached with both hands toward the smaller monster.

With an almost eerie ease, Hare fell backward and evaded Moo's grasp, and as he leapt away, Genki got a quick glimpse of the rabbit's face. Despite himself, the boy sucked in a sudden gasp: instead of the fear he had expected, Hare looked completely calm and collected, as if he was in total control of the situation. His eyes seemed to shine as if lit by flames, as bright as Moo's own eyes were glowing, but without the evil so apparent in the dark monster.

"Why don't you go ahead and die, rabbit!" Moo hissed, aiming another swipe as Hare. The smaller monster dodged away, and scarlet light blazed out of his paws again as another blast of fire scorched the evil commander's armor. Moo let out a short roar and stumbled backward slightly, thrown off balance.

"He's winning!" Suezo announced, ecstatic. The other rebels weren't so certain of that quite yet, but it certainly looked as though Hare had gained the advantage, and was using it to its full extent, firing blast after blast at the reeling titan.

"If we win here, then does that mean that the baddies will stop attacking?" Coltia asked, eyes shining. "Will we be able to find the others safely?"

"I hope so," Serinity answered, barely daring to breathe as she watched the fight unfold before her. Her hands clasped in front of her, she prayed silently, _Please, please allow it to end here…_

A shot of crimson fire took Moo full in the face, and as he reeled backward, both hands flying to his wounded face, something black dropped down and hit the floor with a dull clank. The stumbling master accidentally kicked it as he struggled to regain his balance, roaring with outrage, and it slid across the smooth ebony tiles, skidding to a halt a few feet away from where the rebels stood. Holly glanced down at it, distracted.

She inhaled sharply, taken off guard by what she saw, and her gasp alerted the others to its presence as well. Genki tensed, clear eyes widening, and he stared without believing at the item at his feet.

An entire side of Moo's mask lay where it had clattered to the ground, its cracked crimson eye seeming to gleam knowingly up at the rebels.

Unable to stop himself, Genki swung his wide-eyed gaze back to where Moo stood. The evil master was still clutching at his wounded face, covering it with both hands. The other rebels followed the boy's stare, drawn by their own curiosity, a strange, sudden desire to see the face of the poor soul who had lost control of his body to Moo, the face of his vessel.

Holly felt tears spring to her eyes; what would she do if it she glimpsed the face of her father behind the mask? True, the body seemed of a slightly different build this time, less bulky and muscular, more sleek and agile, but it could still be him…

Hare had noticed the fallen piece of the mask as well, and he watched his opponent intently as the evil warrior slowly straightened, wondering what lay hidden behind his mask, his concealing hands. At his chest, the Phoenix's Tear blazed and shimmered, reminding him of the battle that had suddenly paused, that was certain to begin again shortly.

The blocking hands fell away, and Moo's gaze locked with Hare's own. The rabbit felt his wavering brown eyes widen with shock, and he recoiled involuntarily.

"No…" A breathless whisper, a hopeless protest, one that Hare uttered without even realizing it.

Behind his shattered mask, the one possessed by Moo smirked evilly, and a cruel, soulless eye of dark gold glittered directly beside a long, thin red scar that stretched down the side of his face.

"No…" Hare's protest was louder this time, but it was still little more than a whisper in the suddenly echoingly silent chamber. The other searchers looked on in paralyzed shock, each protesting silently what their eyes told them. The being possessed by Moo chuckled dryly, amused.

"Yes, little rabbit, yes," he replied, the cruel smirk becoming wider, distorting the hauntingly familiar face even more. "Come now, why are you acting so surprised? Does my new body bother you? Here, then…let me assume one more to your liking…"

With that, he let out a sudden moan, a near-roar of both pain and strange, twisted pleasure, and he doubled over, form shifting and twisting under his ebony cape. As the searchers watched in mute horror, the monster known as Moo dropped to his hands and knees, unearthly growls and wails coming from his shifting mouth. His face lengthened; his armor contracted to better fit his shrinking form; the long mane of pink fur at his back darkened into a deeper, different hue. What remained of his mask shifted to fit his new face, but it no longer concealed his identity.

When he looked up, it was not Moo, but Tiger of the Wind that returned Hare's shocked gaze with a cold sneer.

"There, do you prefer this form, then?" he inquired, and his voice now sounded exactly like Tiger's, with the exception that it carried an undercurrent of pure hatred and evil in it. "Personally, I much prefer my own reshaping of this body; after all, hands are such useful things…but I suppose that its original form has its own…advantages."

Hare could not reply; his mouth worked silently, and tears slowly began to glimmer in his widened, wavering eyes. The other rebels suffered from the same paralysis, and only Grey Wolf found himself able to speak.

"Brother!" he cried, taking an unconscious step forward. "Is it really you?!?"

The cloaked monster glanced coldly in his direction, and Grey Wolf recoiled at the sight of his cold, impassive face. Blue eyes wavered as they gazed up into darkly shining golden ones, and the silver wolf felt his heart sink as his instincts reluctantly confirmed the evil monster's claim.

"Tiger…" he breathed, voice heavy with despair, "it is you…oh, big brother…"  
  
"Do not call me that, traitor!" the blue wolf snapped, his visible eyes filled with loathing and hatred. "I am the all mighty and powerful Moo, and your precious brother is gone forever!"

"No!" Grey Wolf, Genki, Hare, Holly, Mocchi and Suezo shouted in unison; Serinity, Eboni and Coltia were too stunned to speak, while Scaler and Alan watched silently, each fingering their blades.

"This can't be true!" Genki shouted, shaking his head in violent refusal. "You'd never be able to turn Tiger against us!"

"Tiger is strong, chi!"

"There's no way that you could take over Tiger's body like that!" Suezo chimed in, although he did not look quite as certain of that as he made himself sound.

"That's right, this is a trick!" Hare said, glaring at the cloaked monster. The lupine returned his gaze mildly.

"Oh really?" he asked, deep voice still mocking them; he appeared to be reveling in their denial. "You mean like the little trick you pulled during the tournament? 'Please don't hurt me, mister Tiger of the Wind, I'm sorry I ever thought I could do anything against your strength.' A trick like that?"  


Hare gasped, and he stared in growing horror at the monster standing before him, unable to think of anything else to say that would deny what appeared before him.

"Now then…let's finish our fight," the lupine monster snarled, a demented grin distorting the visible half of his face.

"………!" Hare fell backward slightly, his wide brown eyes wavering with horror as he stared blankly at the monster before him.

As the searchers watched, tendrils of dark mist began to pulse around the blue wolf's body. The crimson eye in his mask glowed bloodfire, while his golden eye widened with demonic glee. Dark blue electricity formed around his horns, and then the monster let out a triumphant howl as he launched a series of massive thunderbolts at them.

"Uwaaaaahhhhh!" Hare screamed in agony as he made a desperate attempt to strengthen his shields. Suddenly, a dark lightning bolt pierced the glowing sphere around him, and the rabbit's shriek was abruptly cut off.

"Aaagghhh!" the rebels screamed as they were all blown backward by the force of the explosion. Genki slammed into the wall first, and bounced forward a few feet before hitting the ground. He slumped down with a pained groan as the others fell beside him.

"Ku-kuso," Scaler hissed as he slowly propped himself up on one bleeding arm. Raising his head, his violet-brown eyes suddenly widened in horror, and he shouted, "_Hare!_"

The tawny-furred rabbit lay crumpled on the floor, gasping and choking. The Phoenix's Tear glowed at his neck, and the scarlet light blinded him for a moment as he forced blurring eyes open.

Tiger of the Wind – no, Moo – was standing directly over him, a triumphant sneer distorting the visible side of his face. Dark blue lightning so dark as to be almost black pulsed round his glowing horns, ready and waiting to be unleashed upon the helpless bunny.

"I win," the blue wolf whispered, golden and crimson eyes gleaming, as his smirk grew wider.

"Ti…Tiger…" Hare breathed, tears brimming in his dull brown eyes and trickling down the side of his bruised face. He reached up toward the lupine with a trembling paw, a faint reddish aura flickering around his fur. Suddenly the blue wolf flinched backwards.

"Ha-Hare…everyone…r-run…" he whispered, his voice suddenly familiar, no longer carrying that horrible undercurrent of venom in it. Startled, Hare stared up at the wolf's face and saw that the monster's golden eye had lost its evil gleam, and the red eye of the mask had dimmed away.

Suddenly, the cloaked monster let out an angry roar and lurched backward, the mask's crimson eye flashing violently.

"Wha-what is this?" he snarled, voice dripping with hatred again. "Go away! I warn you, do not try to defy me! I own this body now, it belongs to me and me alone!"

He grunted, then suddenly his head snapped up violently, eyes widening unnaturally.

"NO! I won't let you…kill my friends!" he shouted, his voice back to its normal, untainted tone again.

Then his face contorted into a grimace, and the lupine monster let out an unearthly howl, stumbling backward. Breathing raggedly, he shook his head violently and screamed again, obviously in terrible pain.

"Tiger!" Hare shouted, stumbling to his feet. The Phoenix's Tear was flaring and blazing at his chest, and he cupped both of his paws around it as he shouted, "You can beat him!"

"Don't let him do this to you, Tiger!" Holly pleaded, bronze eyes wavering as she clutched the Magic Stone to her chest.

"Tiger!" Suezo shouted, leaning against her for support, his green-gold eye narrowing as he stared intently at the writhing monster.

"Tiger-chi!"

"Come back, Tiger! Please don't let Moo take you away from us!" Serinity added her voice to the others, wanting to do something – anything – to help them.

"Come on, brother," Grey Wolf whispered, blue eyes wavering with near tears. "You can beat him…"

"Mister Tiger! Don't give in!" Coltia shouted, clutching Eboni in her arms.

"TIGER!" Genki yelled, clear eyes shutting as a single, shining tear squeezed out of one of them.

__

I know you can do it, Hare thought, clutching the glowing Phoenix's Tear in his paws.

The blue lupine let out a horrible shriek, then he collapsed to the ground, ebony cape settling around his suddenly limp form. Hare cried out and ran toward him, but slowed down abruptly as he approached, recognizing that he might be putting himself in danger if the wrong one had won the fight.

"Tiger?" he asked, hesitant, voice trembling.

The lupine groaned and opened his visible eye slightly, a single slit of pure gold against the white fur covering his face.

"He…help me," Tiger gasped, gazing up at the rabbit with blurring eyes. "Get…get him away…make his voice go away…"

Hare winced slightly, seeing the desperation of that plea clearly etched on the blue wolf's agonized face.

"I will," he promised, kneeling in front of the sprawled monster.

Smiling shakily at Tiger in an attempt to reassure both of them, Hare closed his wavering eyes in concentration. He gently placed his paws on the blue wolf's sweaty forehead, and the lupine seemed to relax slightly at his hesitant touch. The Phoenix's Tear flared into familiar warmth and a flickering scarlet light began to form around the two monsters.

__

* Phoenix…please give me the power to heal Tiger… *

"Brother…" Grey Wolf breathed, making the word into a sort of prayer.

Like the other searchers, the silver-furred lupine stared at the scene before them with a mixture of awe and hope rising in his heart. Soft blue eyes wavered with near-tears as he watched the tense agony on Tiger's face slowly melt away under the soothing scarlet light, relaxing into an expression of complete peace.

The other rebels noticed this as well, and Holly gasped as she tightened her arms around Suezo, a smile slowly spreading over her face. The grin that tugged at the edge of Genki's mouth widened, and he opened it to cheer, "You did it!"

But before he could get the words out, everything changed.

The relaxed expression on Tiger's face abruptly twisted into a leering grin, and the blue wolf suddenly thrust his head up, driving his horns into Hare's chest. The rabbit winced, and the flame aura flashed out of existence as his concentration shattered. The two monsters seemed to be locked together, Hare impaled on Tiger's horns, and the moment seared itself into everyone's disbelieving eyes.

Then Tiger stepped backward, allowing the young monster's body to slide off of his horns, and for a moment Hare seemed to glance directly at the lupine, his brown eyes wide. Then Hare slumped forward, slowly, eyes closing as he fell in a boneless collapse to the hard, cold surface of the ebony floor. A terrible silence hung in the chamber, broken only by the sound of blood dripping from Tiger's horns.

Genki and the other searchers stared blankly at the two, unable to react. Holly was trembling, and she raised shaking hands to her face as tears filled her wavering eyes. Suezo's eye had dilated to a single dot, and Mocchi's eyes had nearly doubled in size as they overflowed with tears. Grey Wolf stared at his brother in pure disbelief, while the other rebels simply froze.

Tiger of the Wind smirked, and abruptly the silence was shattered by his maniac laughter. The blue wolf threw back his head, his body shaking as he howled triumphantly, "I've done it! The wielder of the Phoenix's Tear is dying! Nothing can stand in my way now!"

His body gave a sudden, convulsive twitch, and shifted back into its humanoid form, allowing the dark monster to stand up again. His ebony cloak billowed behind him as he threw back his head and laughed, both fists raised into the air, his golden eye gleaming brighter than his armor. Then he glanced over at the other rebels, and his gaze happened to rest briefly on the broken part of his mask. A cruel smirk twisted his thin, pale lips.

"I think I shall keep my mask the way it is now," he commented, voice still thick with laughter and contempt. "I do enjoy this new look."

He whirled away, and Genki suddenly ran toward him, Grey Wolf at his heels.

"Stop! Tiger!" the boy shouted, reaching out to clutch at the warlord's flowing cape.

"Brother!" Grey Wolf yelled, running after him as well.

The baddie commander glanced back at them, and sneered. With a single flick of his wrist, he smacked the two and sent them flying backward, crashing into the others.

"Pathetic," he commented, turning away. "You weaklings may live…for now…"

"Nnngghh…stop!" Genki shouted, struggling to his feet, but it was too late, for with a sudden flash of dark light, Moo had vanished from the chamber.

* * *

"Master! You've returned!" a Weed cried as he saw the cloaked monster striding through the doorway to the main chamber of the floating fortress. Then he saw the exposed part of his face, and gasped in horror, "M-master…your mask…"

"Leave it," Moo snarled, turning an icy glare on the trembling Weed. The baddie shrank back with fear, and Moo smirked to himself, his pale lips twisting into a grin.

"Do not let this new look bother you, servant," he said, the half-smirk still tugging at the edge of his lips. "It was merely a side effect of my battle with the searchers, and I find that I rather enjoy the look."

"Y-You fought the searchers?" Weed stammered, trembling even more. "H-How did it go?

In response, Moo threw back his head and laughed, until the Weed's frightened face slowly twisted into a shaky grin.

"T-then the Phoenix's Tear?" he asked.

"No longer is a threat to us," Moo replied, still smirking to himself. "Even as we speak, the lifeblood of that wretched little rabbit is draining away, becoming little more than a stain on the tower's floor. He will no longer pose any danger to us, and as for the others…"

He let out a cold, dry chuckle, and the Weed caught himself shivering with fear.

"The others?" he prodded, gently.

"I told them that they could live for now," his commander replied, and the visible part of his face distorted even more as he grinned and added, "The only problem is, 'now' is come and gone at this point. Such a pity…well, I'm certain that they'll find that my special unit will take good care of them…"

He laughed again, shortly, then suddenly straightened up, and his crimson and golden eyes glowed in unison as he turned to face his servant.

"Weed! Send out the order! We depart at once!"

"Yes! …T-to where, my lord?" the plant hybrid inquired meekly.

"You will see…" was Moo's only reply, and his eyes gleamed knowingly as he turned his gaze back out of the window, looking back at the tower that loomed before him.

* * *

Genki was the first one to reach Hare.

The boy kneeled next to his friend and gently pulled him into his trembling arms, clear eyes misting as they rested on the pair of deep wounds in the rabbit's heaving chest. Just above the twin gashes, the Phoenix's Tear flickered crimson light, casting shadows over Hare's pale, stricken face. Normally wide, mischievous brown eyes were tightly closed, and he gasped raggedly, shuddering as he fought for each breath.

"Oh no," Eboni breathed as she stumbled over to his side with the others. "No. No. No. This isn't real. This isn't happening…"

"If only that were true," Scaler growled, glaring at the babbling young bunny with steely eyes. His fingers clenched around the hilt of his sword, and he solemnly added, "He needs medical attention, _now_. We should leave, quickly."

Genki nodded, numbly, clear brown eyes filling with determination as he glanced back down at Hare's pale face. Turning to Serinity, he passed the comatose Hare to her carefully, snapping the pixie hybrid out of her stunned paralysis. She stared at him with huge, frightened verdant eyes, clutching the young rabbit numbly with both arms.

"Serinity, can you heal him?" he said in a voice that seemed to plead more than ask the question.

"I…I think so," Serinity said numbly, nodding slightly as she gazed down at the unconscious bunny in her arms, biting the inside of her lip. A pale, leaf green aura began to form around her fingers, and she closed her shimmering verdant eyes in concentration, willing strength into the aching form she cradled in her arms…

"We need to get going!" she dimly overheard Alan shouting.

"You're not going anywhere, rebels!" a deep voice rumbled from somewhere above them.

"Watch it!" Grey Wolf warned, and Genki and Serinity cried out in unison as the silver-furred lupine threw himself roughly against them.

As they stumbled away, something that looked like a huge section of the stone ceiling plummeted down and slammed into the ground where they had been standing. Genki skidded for a moment before regaining his balance, and gritted his teeth in anger as he spun to see what had happened. Serinity twisted sharply to avoid landing on the unconscious bunny in her arms, ending up on her back instead. Grey Wolf landed in front of the pixie hybrid, and he bared his teeth in a snarl as he whirled around.

The gray slab slowly righted itself, and Coltia gasped, "An Obelisk!"

"I'm not going to let you leave," the living stone wall rasped, and as it spoke more of its kind began to move from their hiding places. "This will mark the site of your deaths, rebels!"  
  
"I don't think so, blockhead!" Genki retorted, regaining his balance. Whirling toward the others, he waved for them to hurry toward the exit, even as he took a fighting stance himself.

"Genki!" Serinity cried, seeing his danger.

"Get out of here," Genki ordered her, his normally clear brown eyes darkening with a stubborn determination to get his friends out of this situation. "You have to get Hare out of here and heal him, Serinity. All of you have to leave, now!"

"But Genki…" Holly trailed off, unable to put together a coherent sentence with all of the thoughts that were raging through her shocked mind.

"We don't have time! Go!"

"Hey, I could try to teleport us out," Suezo suggested.

"As if we have time to wait for you to actually make it work," Scaler muttered. Drawing one of his swords and stepping toward the advancing Obelisks, he added, "Somebody get Hare out of here, now. I'll make certain these monsters won't bother you…"

The scaled hare gripped his blade in both hands and dropped into a fighting crouch. The baddies hesitated in their slow approach at the sight of the weapon's glimmering edge.

"I'll take them," Grey Wolf said firmly, nudging Serinity toward his back. "I'm the fastest one here, and we need all the time we can get."

Genki paused, then nodded quickly as he moved to stand with Scaler between the enemy and his friends. Alan glanced over at the other rebels and smiled for a fleeting instant.

"Be careful, you guys," he told them, even as he joined Genki and Scaler in facing off with the baddies. "Good luck."

Holly found she could not answer; her throat had unexpectedly gone completely dry, and she could only nod back at him.

Grey Wolf took off, Serinity, Holly and Eboni clinging to his back, the pixie hybrid holding the unconscious Hare carefully in her arms.

"Be careful!" Holly shouted, finally finding her voice. Then they were gone, vanishing into the darkness, leaving Genki and his team to face the baddies by themselves.

The Obelisks quickly fanned out to surround the rebels who remained, cutting them off from the doorway, and Genki and the others found themselves forced to stand in a circle, back to back with one another. Scaler's dark eyes glittered as brightly as the edges of his swords as he held one blade in front of him and drew another from the folds of his cloak. Alan had drawn his sword as well, and he held it level before him as he regarded the baddies carefully, sapphire eyes hard with concentration. Suezo gulped and stood behind the silver-haired boy, attempting to take as much protection as he could from the other's ready blade. Coltia aimed her slingshot carefully at one of the baddies, while Mocchi tensed, preparing to use his Cherry Blossom Blizzard, fighting back the tears in his eyes.

The rebels that had remained behind then backed into a circle, surrounding Genki on all sides. As the baddies pressed closer, the young boy found himself gazing down at his hands. There were bloodstains on his hands, glaring crimson marks against the pale flesh of his palms, and a few smears stood out on his arms and shirt. Not his blood, but a cold shiver ran down his spine as he saw in his mind's eye the one to whom it belonged…

His trembling fingers slowly balled themselves into a fist, folding over and hiding the blood from view. He could still feel it, though, even as his shaking hands clenched tighter, his fingernails beginning to dig into his palms. A shadow fell over his face, masking his tears in darkness for a moment; then he suddenly snapped his head up and, clear brown eyes flashing, lashed out at the nearest Obelisk, crashing his fist into its hard stone body.

He failed to notice the pain that followed that action, though tears sprang to his eyes, and as the others sprang into battle as well, he blindly lashed out, again and again and again…

* * *

Tears ran freely down Serinity's face, streaking her pale cheeks as she attempted to concentrate solely on healing the unconscious bunny she cradled in her arms. The others glanced over at her, all of their expressions holding sympathy, but she knew that, as much as they cared for their friends, they had no way of knowing what she felt at this moment.

One of the things she had learned from Dixie early on, back when she was first beginning to develop her abilities, was that it was possible to actually take the pain of whoever she was healing into her own body, to share it. It was part of why she her abilities were so strong: two hearts, two bodies, two minds together could bear the burden of pain much more than one alone could. By taking the pain of her patient into herself, and giving her own energy, her strength to them in return, she was able to mend wounds much graver than those treatable by a normal pixie's recovery spells.

The trade-off, of course, was that she also suffered along with the one she treated. This had never been a problem for her back in her village, where the worst injuries she had needed to deal with were scraped knees and, on one occasion, a twisted ankle. Until that fateful when the elder Melon stumbled into the valley torn and bleeding, she had never touched an injury that had been deliberately dealt to someone. That experience…shook her, as nothing had before in her sheltered life. Perhaps it had been for the best that she had been killed early on in the battle, without witnessing the rout of her friends that had followed, for that sight may have completely shattered the pixie hybrid.

Now, however, Serinity found herself struggling with a wound that seemed even worse than the one that had claimed the elder's life, so long ago. Pure, raw healing energy poured from her trembling hands into the small body cradled in her arms, as she struggled to keep the fragile life she held alive. Sweat trickled down her paling face, soaking tangled curls of orange-red hair, and her shimmering verdant eyes remained tightly closed as she took as much of the pain coursing through Hare's body into her own.

As she fought desperately, she became aware of the fact that something else was… supporting her power… giving her more strength than she thought possible. It seemed as if… another source of energy was helping keep the young bunny alive, giving him strength…

"…rin…inity…Serinity!"

"…Ah!" Serinity gasped as her eyes flew open to meet the worried gaze of a pair of scarlet orbs.

"Serinity! Are you okay? I've been yelling at you ever since we got into the Iron Bird…" Eboni cried, although she sounded more relieved than annoyed.

"…The Iron Bird…" Serinity echoed faintly, verdant eyes shimmering as she gazed blankly at her surroundings.

They _were_ in the Iron Bird, the one that Holly and the others had taken and landed safely during their attack. The trance she had gone into had been so deep that she had failed to notice that the nightmarish ride through the enemy fortress had finally ended. Dazed, she gazed blankly around at the concerned faces surrounding her, and noted a pair of clear brown eyes staring at her.

"…Genki…" she whispered, thankful to see that he and the others had made it safely back to the Iron Bird.

However, she couldn't help cringing inwardly as she noted the dried blood on the boy's hands, and quickly averted her eyes from that particular sight. All of the rebels who had stayed behind to fight the Obelisks looked worn out, and Serinity found herself studying their injuries with a healer's eye, the way she had been trained to during her youth, while silently berating herself for expending so much of her energy. She couldn't help them right now…

"…Serinity…what do we do now?" Genki suddenly asked, startling her.

They were looking to her for guidance now, she abruptly realized as she dully looked down at the suffering bunny she still held tightly in her arms. She was the only member of their group who know so much about helping those in pain, about healing… the only member who was still able to discuss such matters, at any rate.

They needed her to act as their source of strength, even if only until this crisis had ended. Taking a deep breath, Serinity let her bangs fall over her eyes as she blinked rapidly, fighting to clear them. She knew that her green eyes were still bright with tears when she looked up to meet the gazes of the other searchers, but she didn't care. She had to be strong… or at least act as if she was strong enough to get through this.

"…We…have to find a village to land in, firstly," she heard her own voice saying, and was surprised to find that her tone was somehow remaining steady, faltering only once. "He'll…need rest in order to keep his strength up, and I…"

"I'll find a village," Alan interrupted, whirling on his heel and striding purposefully toward the cockpit. Fighting to keep his own voice steady, he said, "Suezo, would you come up here with me, please?"

"…Huh? Why me?" Suezo asked, blinking.

"Well, your only real talent is being able to see farther and more clearly than others," said Scaler, and the eyeball monster whirled to glare at him automatically.

However, as the two locked gazes, Suezo found himself recoiling slightly as the scaled hare simply stared at him. Dark violet-brown eyes returned his glare steadily, for once not carrying the normal cold disdain that he normally glimpsed in their mysterious depths. Belatedly, Suezo realized that Scaler had not been simply insulting him this time: he was stating a fact, adding the jibe at his talents merely to disguise his real feelings about the situation. From the furtive glance that the scaled rabbit shot in Serinity's direction, it wasn't too hard for him to guess what he was thinking about…

"…Uh…coming, Alan," Suezo finally muttered, feeling awkward and taking the fastest way out available to him. 

"…Hare will be okay, right?" Eboni asked hopefully, staring up at the pixie hybrid with wide, hopeful garnet eyes. "…He'll be just fine, right?"

"He'll get better, right-chi?" Mocchi echoed.

"………" Serinity simply looked at the younger monsters, not knowing what to say.

"…Yeah, he'll be fine," Genki spoke up after a moment, smiling reassuringly at the pair. "…He's gotta be…"

"…Genki…" Holly whispered, seeing how the boy's normally clear brown eyes were unusually bright. Eboni and Mocchi appeared to take his promise to heart, seeing the shimmering in his eyes as conviction, but she knew better. She could tell that withheld tears caused it…

In Serinity's lap, Hare moaned softly, shifting slightly, and the pixie hybrid quickly bent back to her task, pooling all of her remaining strength into her recovery spell. Her fingers glowed with a faint verdant aura, casting shadows over her pale, strained face. The only other light came from the flickering crimson aura from the Phoenix's Tear, a light that seemed to sputter and flash like a flame on the verge of burning out of existence…


	14. Confusion Uncertain Searchers

* * * Episode Fourteen: Confusion – Uncertain Searchers * * *

* * * Episode Fourteen: Confusion – Uncertain Searchers * * *

The port town had obviously seen better days: while once the village had been a bustling merchant's community supported by the ships that always seemed to swarm around the harbor, it was now literally a shell of its former self. The war with Moo had hit hard and fast, swooping down upon them on draconian wings in the night. Flushed out into the streets by both fire and the monster warriors who stormed their houses, the citizens found themselves faced with more of the hideous hordes. Within the course of a single night, the entire town had changed: the sun had set on a bustling, healthy community and then risen on ruins and deserted, empty streets.

Strangely, however, the baddies had not stayed in the now wrecked village for long: although the harbor gave them a possible outlet to the sea, once all of the ships had been either commandeered and ransacked and sunk, there was little else of use for the evil monsters. So they had withdrawn, moving to the nearby mountain fortress, leaving behind an empty town. On the insistence of their master, they had fixed the damage they had inflicted on the buildings. There was always the odd chance that a sailing ship, seeing the harbor and not knowing that the inhabitants of the town were all dead, might dock there… giving the baddies another opportunity to gain supplies.

At first, the searchers had fallen for the ruse in much the same matter: Suezo had spotted the village from above, and Alan had landed the Iron Bird there, only to discover their mistake when they found the streets and buildings completely deserted. Still, a refuge was a refuge, and so the small band of rebels had decided to make do with what they had found.

"Strange…it doesn't look that much like a ghost town," Coltia observed as she walked along the barren paths, glancing back at the other rebels who had accompanied her on this short quest to check out the area.

"You're right," Genki agreed, confused.

"It looks like the baddies rebuilt it after tearing most of it down," commented Alan: the blue-gray-haired boy had one hand gripped firmly on the hilt of his blade, and sapphire eyes scanned the deserted streets nervously.

"I wonder why they would do such a thing?" Coltia murmured, absently tracing patterns against the surface of the wall beside her with her fingers. "…Were they going to use this as a base?"

"If that was their plan, they seem to have abandoned it, at any rate," Alan told her. "I haven't seen a single living thing here, other than us…"

"…Let's get back to the others," Genki said after an uncomfortable pause. "I don't like the idea of being away from everyone else for too long here…"

"Yeah," agreed Coltia, and she shuddered, tugging on the edges of her sleeves as if for warmth, although the action did little against the cold feeling that twisted deep in the pit of her stomach.

Alan nodded, and said, "I'll meet you guys back there: I'm going to go make certain that the Worms are still guarding the spot where we hid the Iron Bird, and staying out of sight…"

With that, he ran off, a blur of motion that seemed oddly out of place against the long-empty streets. Genki and Coltia watched him leave, then slowly walked back together toward the building they had chosen as their primary shelter: a former inn that overlooked the harbor.

The inn had been an obvious choice: much to their surprise, a lot of the furniture and such had remained in the building looking mostly untouched. Scaler had observed that this probably meant that the enemy had used this building for a while after destroying the village as a sort of makeshift base, taking advantage of what was already there for their own purposes.

Of course, now the rebels were using the abandoned lodgings for themselves. The irony of the fact that the items that had survived the attack had probably been used by their enemies before they arrived was not lost on the majority of the searchers, but they had little time to dwell on such matters.

In one of the former guestrooms, Holly sighed, struggling to keep her gaze focused out the open window beside her. What remained of gauzy curtains fluttered in the cool breeze that swept through the open pane: whoever had restored this room had replaced the cloth drapery, but not the window glass. Outside, the first few stars of early evening were beginning to appear in the darkening sky, and the young woman hoped that the other searchers would return soon from their explorations of the village.

She was not alone in the room, although that thought brought little comfort. Despite herself, Holly glanced over at her companion: the half-pixie, half-plant hybrid Serinity sat on a chair beside one of the beds in the chamber, glowing hands hovering just over the chest of the cot's occupant. Serinity's eyes were tightly shut in concentration, and she shivered slightly as she poured more of her recovery magic into the unconscious form before her. After a few moments, she gasped, snapping out of her trance as the last of her energy reverses tapped out, and Holly watched in concern as the pixie hybrid wrapped her arms around her trembling body, fighting off the overwhelming exhaustion she felt.

"…Serinity?"

"…Ah, Holly! …He's doing a little better," Serinity replied, anticipating what the girl's next question would be. "I think…the wound has sealed up completely on the outside, and I could feel the Phoenix's Tear's magic working on his…internal injuries…"

The pixie hybrid trailed off and lowered her gaze sadly to the small rabbit lying on the bed before her, and Holly pulled her chair up beside her. She noticed that Hare did appear to be healing: the twin gashes in his chest had vanished, and it looked for all the world as if the young bunny was simply resting. However, the way that his crystalline pendant shimmered a bright crimson and a faint, barely tangible reddish aura clung to his tawny and white fur belied the illusion.

"…And how are you doing, Serinity?" asked Holly quietly.

"………"

The female monster continued to gaze at her patient, keeping her eyes carefully averted from where Holly sat at her side. This could not keep Holly from observing the paleness of the pixie's hybrid cheeks, or how she clenched her delicate hands in her lap, wringing the edge of her white dress.

"…I…wish that…"

A faint creaking behind them alerted both to the fact that they were no longer alone in the room, and Holly turned to see Scaler standing silently in the doorway. Dark violet-brown eyes bore directly into the pair, then shifted their gaze slightly to the small figure lying on the bed for a fleeting instant before quickly glancing away again.

"…Genki and the others wish to see both of you," he informed them, turning away even as he spoke. "…If you are finished here for the moment, they're meeting downstairs…"

"Thank you, Scaler," Holly said, standing up.

But the green rabbit did not appear to hear her soft reply, having already turned and stalked away. Holly glimpsed the end of his cloak as it disappeared back through the doorway, then turned to see that Serinity had not moved. Instead, the pixie hybrid was still gazing sadly at Hare, shimmering verdant eyes cast partly into shadow by her bangs.

"…Serinity…are you coming?" she prompted gently.

Silence, then the female monster slowly looked over at Holly and nodded, inclining her head ever so gently.

"…Yes…" she whispered, voice so faint that the young women barely heard her.

Quietly, so as not to disturb Hare, Serinity got to her feet and joined Holly in front of the doorway. As she walked past, Holly reached out and gripped the half-pixie's shoulder briefly, hoping to comfort her, and was rewarded with a faint, sad smile that lasted only a few precious seconds.

Then she walked past the girl and out of the room, and Holly moved to follow, only to pause in the doorway and glance back over her shoulder. The flickering crimson light from the Phoenix's Tear sent shadows dancing over the barren walls and caused her bright bronze eyes to shimmer with her withheld tears. Shaking her head, she quickly turned away and closed the door behind her, silently promising to come back later and check on the little bunny again…

* * *

"…Sorry I took so long," Alan said as he walked into the inn to find most of the other rebels waiting for him. "It took a while to make certain that the Iron Bird was still hidden and that the Worms were okay. They don't like being here…"

"They're not the only ones," muttered Coltia, shuddering again.

"Where are Mocchi and Eboni?" asked Serinity, looking around at the other searchers and not seeing the two youngsters anywhere. "Are they still outside somewhere…?"

"No, no, nothing like that," Coltia quickly replied, shaking her head violently in the negative. "They were both really worn out from everything that's happened, so we had them go upstairs to rest for a while…"

"…Besides, this is not really a matter for children," Scaler interrupted, looking directly at Genki.

Genki glared back at the scaled hare, knowing what he was implying, but said nothing. Fighting with him would solve nothing at this point…

"…So…what do we do now?" Suezo inquired meekly, gazing around at the other rebels as he waited for some sort of reply.

None came. The small band of searchers looked around at one another, each privately hoping that somebody would break the awful silence that had descended over the room by saying something…anything…that would help them out.

"…We continue the quest," Scaler abruptly said, scanning the group with his dark violet-brown eyes as all faces turned at once toward where he stood leaning against the wall.

"…Our…quest…" Serinity echoed dully, leaf green eyes wavering as she appeared to become lost in her own thoughts.

"…The one to defeat Moo," qualified Scaler, sensing that the pixie hybrid was thinking along lines starkly different than his own.

As he had expected, the other rebels jerked visibly at his quiet declaration, all staring at him with varying degrees of shock, horror and outrage twisting their faces. Not that how they reacted mattered much to the green rabbit…

"What?!?" Genki shouted, jumping to his feet, glaring at the scaled hare with flashing, clear brown eyes. "Y-you…"

"You can't be serious!" Suezo took over the boy's statement, green-gold pupil dilating slightly with shock. "I-if we do that…then Tiger…"

"…That blue wolf whose body has become the vessel for Moo's spirit?" Scaler said more than inquired, locking gazes with the eyeball monster. "…Tell me something, Suezo…. Do you honestly believe that it was your old friend that you were fighting?"

"…Uh…" Suezo faltered, dropping his gaze to the floor after a few moments.

"…What about you, Genki?" the scaled hare continued, shifting his dark, thoughtful eyes to the youth's face, to those wide, clear eyes that always seemed to shine with an inner light. "You think that it was really Tiger of the Wind that you were fighting…? …That Tiger would have stabbed one of his old companions as savagely as he did Hare…?"

"………"

Holly glanced over at Genki and Suezo, knowing exactly what her old friends were thinking about. During their original journey together, back when they were known by the baddies as the rebel team the Courageous Seven, the Searchers, the blue wolf and the brown rabbit had a very…strained relationship. Although, at first, Tiger had somewhat of an excuse to be so hostile toward Hare, thanks to the bunny's tricking him into losing a tournament they had both entered, for some reason, he refused to abandon those hateful feelings as time went on. Occasionally, there had been indications that he was growing to at least accept Hare: their first battle with Joker in the underground cavern maze, where each had defended the other when they were knocked down by the baddie, quickly came to mind as an example…

But such moments had been all too fleeting, and quickly dissolved into the two fighting and arguing with each other once again. Still, Holly had come to notice after a while that usually, their disputes occurred when Hare was simply teasing or kidding Tiger and the blue wolf took it far too seriously. That surprised her: did it mean that Tiger was being too literal, or did he simply hate the rabbit for some other reason that she could not yet perceive?

Then came that fateful night when Tiger accused Hare of being one of Moo's henchmen, and the bunny overheard him and ran off during the night. In the chaos that followed, she and the others had learned about many of the secrets that Hare had kept from them: the Phoenix's Tear, the magical abilities it gave the rabbit, about Naga… He had even been hiding his true age from them, that he was truly only a child hiding behind an illusion of adulthood in order to keep from being recaptured by his tormentor.

To say that Tiger of the Wind had not taken these revelations easily would be a serious understatement. After that day, the rift between the two seemed to become even wider, and nothing any of the rebels tried could seem to close it. The blue wolf had drifted even further to the edge of the group, becoming even colder, especially after dealing with Kaze and the truth surrounding the death of his little brother Grey Wolf. When he had left the others shortly after Genki's departure, Holly had secretly not been surprised. She had hoped that he would be able to find his lost brother and perhaps finally let go of all of the anger and pain he kept locked inside, but…that had not been the case…

But could Tiger's seeming hatred of Hare have possibly grown so much that he would be able to attack the young bunny like that…? Would the blue-furred lupine possibly have become so cruel and callous toward Hare as to…?

"………No," she whispered, bowing her head sadly as she shook it from side to side, once. "…No, that wasn't Tiger… Tiger would never have…"

"…I thought as much," murmured Scaler, his tone neutral as he nodded slightly, satisfied. "I think that it's rather obvious just what has happened…"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Genki demanded, stiffening with anger.

"What I mean is that your friend no longer is really alive," was the blunt reply.

"What?!?" Suezo, Genki and Grey Wolf cried in unison.

"Think about it: if Tiger of the Wind were still alive, would he really have allowed Moo to take over his body? Would he have let him attack his old battle companions again…? I doubt it. So, surely, he must be dead…"

"…But…that was his voice, his scent…I know," Grey Wolf murmured, blue eyes misting slightly as he remembered staring at the midnight-cloaked, twisted monster and realizing that he was seeing his elder brother.

"…Don't you understand?" Scaler sighed, shaking his head. "…Moo is a creature of death, just as the Phoenix is of life. If Moo has taken over Tiger's body, then he probably destroyed his soul in the process. The Tiger of the Wind you knew is dead…"

"_…NO!_"

The impassioned protest had not come from Genki or Grey Wolf, as Scaler had expected, and he looked up in mild surprise, even as he silently realized that a protest from this one made sense… Other eyes turned to stare at the speaker as well, some widened with shock, all darkening with sympathy.

A faint blush sprung to Serinity's otherwise pale white face, tingeing her cheeks. She half-covered her mouth with one slender hand as if stilling any further outburst, and her wide leaf green eyes shimmered with both fear and surprise at her own reaction. After a few moments, she dropped her gaze, nearly completely closing her eyes as she fought back tears.

"…I…just don't think…that could possibly be right," she murmured, her voice trembling as she struggled to put her feelings into words. "…I…I'm sorry…please excuse me…"

Abruptly she stood on shaking legs and forced herself to dart out of the room, shutting out the sound of Grey Wolf's startled cry, of Holly's sympathetic whisper of her name, the other rebels murmuring and whispering among themselves.

"…Fragile, isn't she?" Scaler commented shortly after she had left, looking back toward the other rebels. "…I suppose the stress has gotten to her…"

"Damnit, Scaler, can't you at least show a little concern for others?" Suezo muttered, glaring at the green rabbit.

Ignoring the jibe, Scaler scanned the faces of the remaining rebels and asked, "Are we in agreement? No matter whose body he currently controls, Moo is still Moo, and needs to be stopped. If none of you are willing to go on, then I will simply fight him alone…"

"…No. …No, we're still going to fight. We… I vowed long ago that we would stop him… no matter what the cost…"

Suezo stared at the speaker in shock, green-gold pupil widening with shock and fear.

"…Holly…"

* * *

Serinity sighed as she slowed her frantic pace to a slow walk down the darkened hallway, finally calming down enough to take a look at her surroundings. Brushing through a pair of gauzy curtains, the pixie hybrid found herself standing on a balcony, gazing out over the horizon and surrounding village. The sun had sunk almost completely out of sight, the last of its rays streaking the purpling sky with orange, red and gold. At any other time, the breathtaking sight might have lifted her spirits, but at that moment, the last thing she was thinking about was the world's beauty.

"…Why…did I shout like that?" she murmured, gently rubbing the tips of her slender fingers against her forehead. "…It's not like I really know Tiger-san all that well… All I know is what the others have told me…"

__

- …Plus what I have seen with my own eyes… -

That in itself wasn't much, for she had only seen Tiger of the Wind twice: once in the throes of a living nightmare, in an old memory of a bitter battle awakened and replayed before her horrified eyes by some power she could not yet understand, and again when the demon known as Moo shifted his shape to show the rebels who he had possessed… Only those two times had she seen the blue-furred wolf with the flashing golden eyes and angry red scar. All that she knew of him came from those two brief encounters, plus the recollections and tales of those who had known him before…

…So why had she been the one to protest when Scaler had said that Tiger's spirit must have been destroyed by Moo? …Why hadn't Genki, Holly, Grey Wolf, or even Suezo been the one who shouted: they knew Tiger much better than she did…

Sighing, Serinity allowed her wavering verdant eyes to shift their gaze towards the sky, where the first stars of the night were beginning to appear. Staring up into the heaven's depths, the pixie hybrid unconsciously stepped forward, resting her arms on the smooth marble railing. This part had obviously been replaced after the enemy's attack: several sections were a slightly lighter shade than the rest of the balcony, patching areas that had been charred and broken away during the raid.

Such violence had occurred here…was violence really supposed to be the answer for everything? Would more deaths really solve the problem before them…?

__

- …No…no, that CAN'T be right! Fighting only leads to more fighting… vengeance only to more despair… -

A cool breeze played at the edge of Serinity's white skirt, ruffling its edge, and swept reddish-gold bangs away from her pale face. Shivering, she wrapped her wings over her shoulders, the fragile, leaf-green skin draping like a shawl over her trembling body. It shut out most of the wind's cruel bite, but failed to warm the cold foreboding twisting deep within her.

__

This is all wrong! She wailed inwardly, instinctively forcing herself to keep from crying aloud for fear of disturbing the others. _ I… I only wanted to find Golem… not have to fight… watch others kill others… or… or have to find… one of his friends…!_

__

- …We shouldn't fight. No matter what Scaler says, I can't believe that we have to kill Mister Tiger of the Wind to save everything. There has to be another way… -

Tears misting her leaf green eyes, Serinity gazed up at the sky, watching the stars appear in turn. Her thoughts drifted back to a time long before, when she was only an innocent child, sneaking out to see the night for the first time… with one of her closest, dearest friends beside her, as it had always been during those peaceful days…

"Oh Golem," she sighed, her trembling voice a bare whisper in the night, "if Moo was able to take control of somebody as strong-willed as Tiger… then what does that mean for you? Where are you…?"

The stars twinkling so far above her held no answer, yet she continued to watch them appear, knowing that once she left, she would have to face cruel reality once more. It seemed as if a future much darker than the evening sky above her was looming on the horizon, and she wished that she could delay its coming forever…

* * *

A pair of narrowed scarlet eyes blazed as they stared up at the ceiling, tracing over the patterns of hairline cracks more out of boredom than anything else. After a few minutes, their owner let out an annoyed groan and rolled over, irritably kicking at the covers half-draped over her small, dark-furred body.

"…Sure, the other rebels get to stay up and talk about what we're gonna do next, but the 'little kids' have to stay here and 'get their rest'," Eboni griped, her tone shifting into a mocking mimicry of Coltia's voice as she echoed what she had told her and Mocchi some time earlier. "After all…" –and here she dropped her voice to sound more like Scaler as she repeated his words– " 'This is not a matter for children. This is solely a matter for the fighters to decide.' Hah!"

"It's not fair, chi," Mocchi piped up, a sour expression on his normally cheerful face as he shifted in his bed as well and turned to face the young black rabbit.

"I _know!_ Just because we're younger, they act like we're not as important!" agreed Eboni, frowning petulantly and crossing her arms over her chest. "We may be kids, but we're rebels too! We should have a say in what we do next! We can help make plans too, you know…"

Mocchi nodded agreement, but the frustration on his face gave way to sorrow as the dark-furred bunny's words reminded him of other problems.

"…Hare always came up with lots of good plans, chi," he whispered, wide eyes wavering as he looked down sadly.

Eboni fell silent at that, remembering what had happened. Despite herself, the bunny glanced over toward the doorway: while it was closed, she knew that just across the hallway was another room like the one they were in, and resting on one of the beds in there was… Shaking off that depressing line of thinking, she looked over at Mocchi and smiled reassuringly.

"…Aw, come on, Mocchi, don't be like that!" she coaxed. "Hare's gonna pull through this, you'll see! Everything's gonna be okay!"

"…Chi?" Mocchi looked up at her, hope filling his eyes for a moment. However, this mood quickly faded, and he sighed, "But Tiger-chi…"

"…Hey, it'll be alright," Eboni insisted. "You told me that Tiger was strong, right? …Then it'll be okay. There's no way that Moo can control somebody as powerful as him forever, right?"

Mocchi shook his head, not looking convinced. Eboni hopped off of her bed and walked over to the younger monster, lightly gripping his shoulders as she locked gazes with him.

"Tiger's gonna be alright," she repeated. "We're gonna save him, remember? I'm sure that's what the others are talking about! We'll find some way to beat Moo and free your friend Tiger, but we've gotta be strong, okay? If we're going to help the others… and Hare, once he gets better… then we've got to stay strong, alright?"

Mocchi stared at the young Evil Hare, seeing the conviction and determination shining so clearly in her wide garnet eyes. She believed completely in what she was saying… not like Suezo, Serinity, or any of the others, who had avoided meeting his eyes when he asked if Hare would be okay, or what they would do about Tiger… They were uncertain, but Eboni knew that everything would be okay if they just kept going. She honestly believed that, and it was giving her the strength to deal with everything that had happened…

Smiling back at her, caught up in her enthusiasm, Mocchi nodded.

"Yeah, chi!" he beamed.

"Everything will be okay," Eboni repeated, garnet eyes shining with determination. "If we keep fighting, I'm sure that things will work out…"

* * *

"We have to defeat Moo. There is no arguing that point."

"I'm not, but Scaler…"

"There has to be another way," Coltia interrupted, shaking her head violently as if to force out the words of the others. "We can't just…"

"Can't just what? Defeat the one who has been trying to take over everything? The one who has tried to have you and your friends killed again and again?" Scaler's tone was harsh, his dark violet-brown eyes smoldering like ashes.

"But…Tiger…we can't just murder Tiger because…"

"…Because a murderer has taken over his body?" Scaler retorted, arching an eyebrow. "Look, as I said before, I seriously doubt that that wolf is still actually alive. It's very likely that Moo destroyed his soul when he possessed his body. After all, such a thing would probably interfere with his control…"

"…Destroy his…spirit…?" Holly echoed dully, bronze eyes holding a faraway look as she considered the scaled hare's words. 

"That can't be possible!" Genki exploded, slamming his fist on the table before him.

"…Genki…" murmured Suezo, staring at the boy in concern.

"It's possible," Scaler said darkly, returning Genki's glare with a calm glance. "We're talking about a monster with powers far beyond what most of us can comprehend. Moo has apparently come back from the dead, and has taken the body of one of those who helped defeat him. What makes you so certain that he wouldn't ensure that there is no way of that wolf fighting him again?"

"…It…can't be…" Suezo whispered, shaking his head slowly in denial.

"Oh? Why not? Moo is a murderer by nature, someone that has wiped out countless lives in the past. What makes you think that he wouldn't do the same with the one who provided him with a new vessel?"

"…If Moo…kills the soul of the one he possesses…" Holly whispered, bronze eyes shimmering with tears as she closed them.

A wave of remembered pain and fresh grief swept over the young woman, and she bowed her head, allowing her bangs to fall over her face and mask her expression. The thought that Moo murdered the ones whose bodies he took over… it was both frightening and oddly reassuring in a strange, twisted sense. If it was true, then it meant…

__

- …It would mean that I didn't really end up helping to kill… …Father… …Not if he was already dead once he was… taken… -

"…Tiger…no, it isn't true! Don't you remember, guys? When he stopped attacking… Tiger's still in there! He was fighting with Moo, trying to drive him out!" Genki insisted.

"…Yeah, that's right!" Coltia quickly agreed, grasping at the shred of hope in the boy's words. "He's still alive, and…"

"It was a trick," Scaler interrupted. "Haven't you figured that out by now? It was a damned trick, a ruse, a sham."

"No!"

"Listen to me, Genki," the green rabbit said, locking eyes with the youth once more. "If Tiger was as strong-willed as you say…"

"He _IS!_" shouted the boy, stubborn.

"…If he was as strong-willed as you keep telling me," Scaler repeated, "and Moo hadn't disposed of his soul when he took over the body…do you really think that Moo would have had such an easy time attacking all of you? In case you've forgotten, he batted you and the others around like flies: especially you and Grey Wolf…"

"………" Grey Wolf closed his blue eyes in remembered pain.

"…No, it's clear now that he was simply baiting a trap for us," the scaled hare continued, violet-brown eyes darkening with anger. "He knew how all of you would react to seeing that Tiger was his new host, and played upon that, staging that 'inner struggle' scene just to lure Hare closer… …and we all fell for it."

The green rabbit dropped his gaze to the floor abruptly, and the others noticed that his paws clenched into tighter fists for a heartbeat: as emotionless as he normally appeared, he did appear to be silently berating himself for falling for such a deception. The pause lasted only a few seconds, however, and when Scaler looked back up at the others, his neutral expression had already returned.

"No matter what all of you may think or believe, the truth of the matter is, we have a powerful monster out there who is willing to destroy everything that stands in his way. The body he controls does not matter…what matters is making certain that he is stopped. …I will fight him, even if nobody else here will…"

"…We're gonna fight," Genki interrupted, standing up. "You're right about one thing: Moo has to be stopped. But _I'm not going to kill Tiger just for that!_ There's gotta be a way to save him, and I'm going to find it!"

"…Genki…" whispered Holly, watching the youth sadly.

Clear brown eyes shining, Genki looked around at the others, his gaze lingering on Grey Wolf the longest. The silver-furred lupine had said the least during their discussions, simply listening to the others and watching them with haunted ice blue eyes. His silence seriously bothered Genki, but he didn't really know what he could do or say that could possibly help his friend.

"…There's got to be a way," he repeated. "There's just gotta be…"

"…Genki…" Grey Wolf suddenly murmured, looking up at the others.

"…What's wrong, Grey Wolf?" asked Suezo, seeing the haunted look in the silver-furred lupine's eyes. He already knew, of course, but felt he should ask anyway.

"…I hate to be the one who points this out," Grey Wolf said slowly, "but…does anyone even have any idea where he went?"

__

Where HE went, Holly noted sadly. _Not 'where Tiger went' or 'where Moo went'… just… where he went…_

"…I don't know," Coltia admitted, frowning slightly. "…I didn't even think about that… I was just happy not to run into him when we were running…"

"I hate to say it, but I don't know either," Alan said. "After he left, I got so caught up in the fighting and trying to survive…"

"…Suezo, you are not a fighter. Did you see where Moo…?"

"No, I didn't, Scaler," hissed the eyeball monster, green-gold pupil darkening with anger as he glared at the cloaked rabbit. "…But I did notice that the floating fortress was gone while we were leaving in the Iron Bird…"

"…Huh. Wonder where he could have gone to…" Coltia mused, looking up at the ceiling as she leaned back in her chair. "I mean, it's not like a floating fortress is all that easy to hide…"

"Why would he want to hide?" Suezo muttered, trembling. "He's an evil tyrant, I think he can do pretty much whatever he wants…"

"At least, until we find him," Scaler qualified, fingering the edge of one of his knives under the folds of his cloak.

"…But where could Moo have gone?" asked Coltia.

The rebels bowed their heads, lost in thought. Absently, Holly's hand strayed to where her talisman hung on her belt, and she wrapped shaking fingers around the dagger's hilt. Closing wavering bronze eyes, images of her father swirled in the young woman's mind: the loving parent she had known as a child, the traveler leaving their home behind forever, and the creature he had become when Moo's soul merged with his body…

__

- When he left, I felt like my heart would break… but that didn't happen until much later, when my home was… and I discovered that you… -

"…!!!"

Holly abruptly leapt to her feet, breathing hard. The other rebels stared at her in alarm.

"Holly?!? What's wrong?" Genki, Suezo and Alan cried in unison.

"………No… …Oh, no…" the young woman whispered, bronze eyes wavering as she stared blankly ahead of her.

"…Holly?" Coltia asked, shuddering slightly at the haunted expression on the older girl's face. "What's going on…? Why…?"

Holly looked around at the other searchers, her shimmering gaze finally resting on Grey Wolf. The silver-furred lupine stared back at her, his ice blue eyes filled with confusion, not knowing why she was acting so strangely.

"…Grey Wolf…" Holly murmured, her voice softer than normal. "…I…I think I know where Moo is headed…"

She did not need to go further: comprehension slowly dawned on the silver lupine, his blue eyes darkening as he realized what she was attempting to tell him. A heavy silence fell over the room as the others slowly caught on.

"…You think that…" Coltia trailed off without finishing her question, seeing the answer she feared in the dark expressions of the other rebels.

Grey Wolf just nodded solemnly, ice blue eyes holding a faraway, haunted look as he gazed past his friends as if they didn't exist, focused only on one thing…

"The pack," he said simply.

Then, with a sudden blur of movement, the silver-furred lupine was racing past the other rebels, ignoring their startled shouts and cries, avoiding their outstretched hands that fumbled for him, trying to hold him back from what he felt must be done…

* * *

Out on the balcony, Serinity still gazed up at the stars, lost in her own musings. Head slightly tilted upward to face the horizons, her shimmering verdant eyes reflecting the starlight, half-veiled behind her lowered eyelashes. A cold breeze whirled around her, brushing her short, reddish-gold hair away from her face, and she sighed, wanting to hesitate there just a bit longer, to delay her returning to face the problems that swarmed around her constantly…

"…Grey Wolf, come back!"

Serinity gasped as the sudden shout jolted her back to reality, and looked in the direction that the commotion was coming from. As she watched, confused, Grey Wolf dashed out of the inn, moving faster than she had ever seen the silver-furred lupine run before. The others were chasing after him, shouting for him to stop. Wondering just what was going on, the pixie hybrid spread her wings and glided down to the others, landing right in front of Grey Wolf, who barely avoided knocking her over.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"Get out of my way," snarled Grey Wolf, much to her shock.

Taken aback, Serinity just stared at him, not knowing what was wrong.

"Grey Wolf!" Genki shouted, skidding to a stop beside the two monsters.

"Leave me alone, Genki," muttered the silver wolf, avoiding the eyes of the others as they caught up.

"Where exactly do you think you are going?" Scaler asked.

"…My pack is in danger, and I'm not going to stay here and not do anything about it," Grey Wolf replied, a dangerous glint in his ice blue eyes as he added, "I'm going back. I never should have left in the first place…"

"But Grey Wolf…!" Coltia gasped.

"There's no way you'll be able to make it back in time," Alan told him, sapphire eyes solemn. "Even the Iron Bird wouldn't be able to fly fast enough to catch up with Moo's flying fortress… You'd never make it in time…"

"…_NO!_ Damnit!" howled Grey Wolf, angrily swiping at the ground before him. His claws raked a set of sloping, jagged furrows into the soft mud, and the silver-furred lupine bowed his head, whispering, "No…big brother, no…"

"…Grey Wolf…" Holly whispered, bronze eyes wavering with sympathy.

"Why are we getting so worked up? I mean, it's not like we're even certain that's where Moo's heading…"

"…He'll go there, Suezo," Grey Wolf replied, his head still bowed, his face still partially shadowed by his ruffled mane. "…I realized it the moment Holly suggested it. …Moo's bonded with my bro… with Tiger, so he'd know where…"

"…But didn't you move where your pack lived?" Suezo asked, attempting to reassure the others. "…I mean, we checked where we met Tiger before, at the old caves, and didn't see…"

"We moved from there, yes, but we didn't move far. …We…we were hoping that Tiger would come back and find us, and so… we didn't want to stray too far from…"

The irony was not lost on any of the searchers, and they glanced helplessly at one another as an awkward silence fell over them. Grey Wolf stared down at the ground beneath his paws, shadows falling over his face and masking his expression. However, the others could tell from his slumped shoulders and drooping tail that the silver lupine was already mourning for his pack-mates.

"How…how terrible," Serinity murmured, leaf green eyes shimmering with tears as she slowly shook her head in futile denial. "To…lose everything…"

Her thoughts shifted against her will to her friends back in the forest village: would she be mourning the loss of them soon as well? It was entirely too possible, something that seemed all the more likely to occur the more she dwelt on it. Unlike Grey Wolf's friends, who she assumed were at least somewhat familiar with battle, her friends were mostly untrained and inexperienced, most having only one real encounter with combat in their past… the battle that had claimed their lives, including her own…

Serinity shuddered, remembering how her first real encounter with death had come shortly before the battle had exploded upon them, and she had fallen as well. One of the elders, who everyone called simply Melon, had been the first to expire, shortly after delivering a warning of what was to come. She could still recall all too clearly the shock she had felt when he materialized beside her while she picked flowers, how she had turned to see the beloved adult battered, beaten and bleeding…

"…Ah!" the half-pixie gasped, realizing with a start what they might be able to do.

"Serinity?" Grey Wolf asked, looking up at her with concern.

Ignoring that, the pixie hybrid quickly glanced around, looking for the one who might be able to help them. It took only a few seconds for her frantic gaze to rest upon the one she wanted, and she pointed a trembling finger toward him.

"…Suezo! You can help!" she heard her own voice, shaking and nervous, cry.

"What?" the eyeball monster asked, a blank look on his face.

"…When Melon warned us about the attack…he…he…" Unable to continue, she forced herself to spit out, "Suezo, you can teleport us back to where Grey Wolf's pack is!"

"Wh-aaaaaa-aaaaat?" Suezo cried, green-gold pupil going wide with shock. Seeing how the other rebels all whirled to stare at him, he quickly blurted, "Now wait just a… I can't… I just can't…"

"Why not?" Serinity pleaded, wavering verdant eyes locked on his face. "It may be the only way we could make it in time…"

"Bu-but I'm not skilled enough to… I couldn't possibly… it's too far… I… I…"

Suezo heard his weak protesting slowly die off as he stared around at the faces of the others. Serinity was looking at him with hope filling her bright, leaf green eyes, while Grey Wolf had a similar expression on his face. Coltia and Alan were staring openly at him: neither human appeared to know quite what to make of this situation. Genki and Holly, who knew what his teleporting was like, were looking at him with veiled concern in their eyes.

__

- Serinity doesn't even know for certain that I can Teleport… from what she was saying earlier, it sounds more like she assumed I knew how since one of her friends could… -

He had offered to try a Teleport before, back in the fortress, but he wasn't certain that Serinity had overheard that comment. The only one who had shown any sign of hearing him had been Scaler, and the green rabbit had dismissed the idea, saying that they didn't have time for him to attempt that.

"…Do…do you think that you could really teleport that far?" Coltia wondered, staring at the eyeball monster.

"…He has to," Grey Wolf answered for her, ice blue eyes locked on Suezo's face as he added, "It's the only option we have left to help my pack…"

"…I'll do it," Suezo said suddenly, startled by the sound of his own voice.

"Suezo?!?" Holly and Genki cried, staring at him in surprise.

"Grey's right, we don't really have much of a choice," the eyeball monster heard himself reply, forcing himself to sound calm. "…If-if there's any chance that this will work, then we have to take it."

"…Suezo…" murmured Holly, staring at her childhood friend with shimmering bronze eyes. "…All right then. You're right…"

"Let's give it a shot," Genki said, turning to look around at the others.

"We can't all go," Alan reminded him. "Not all of us are up to full strength…"

"Go where?" a familiar voice piped up unexpectedly behind them.

"Eboni!" Coltia cried, whirling to see the young Evil Hare walking up toward them, with Mocchi right behind her.

"I thought that we told you children to get some sleep," Scaler commented, glaring at the pair of youngsters with dark violet-brown eyes.

"Who could sleep with all that shouting going on down here?" Eboni quipped, garnet eyes glinting mischievously for a moment. "…So what's going on? Where are you planning on going?"

"Can we come, chi?" added Mocchi.

The two stared directly at Genki, looking at him for guidance. The clear-eyed boy also sensed that they were hoping that he, being both the youngest human on the rebel team and Mocchi's partner, would go easy on them and allow them to tag along. Both wanted to help, not be left out…

"…No, Mocchi, Eboni. You can't come along this time."

"Chi?!?" Mocchi cried, staring at his partner and friend in shock.

Genki winced, seeing that the pink monster felt betrayed, the pain shining clearly in his wide eyes. Nevertheless, he forced himself to return his partner's gaze firmly, clear brown eyes shining with determination.

"…Listen," he said, keeping Eboni's attention as well as Mocchi's. "Some of us are going to backtrack a little, to check on some friends that we left behind. We think that Moo might be going after them, and we have to help them fight…"

"…Then let us fight too!" Eboni interrupted, paws balling into fists. "We're ready!"

"No, you and Mocchi need to stay here. Not everybody's going to come along, 'cause Hare's still… still hurt, and somebody's going to have to stay with him. I want you two to stay and help protect everyone who stays behind, okay?"

"…Okay," replied Eboni reluctantly, long ears drooping slightly with disappointment.

"…Serinity, Holly, I think you two should stay here too," Genki continued. "It's better that way… You're our only healer right now, Serinity, and…"

"…But…" Holly weakly protested, knowing that Genki was right.

__

- Serinity is our only healer, right now… but if she stays here, then that means… -

It was obvious from the look on the pixie hybrid's face that she also understood the situation, and had already accepted the role she would have to play.

"Please, be careful," she pleaded, looking around at her friends and allies.

"So is everybody else coming?" Suezo asked, while silently wondering if he would be able to teleport so many people and monsters at once, let alone for as great a distance as they were hoping…

"…Genki, I'm staying as well," Alan spoke up. "The Worms and I can help protect Holly and the others…"

The two boys locked eyes for a moment, sapphire and clear brown staring full into each other's shining surfaces. Something passed unspoken between the two, then Genki slowly nodded agreement.

"…Okay, Alan. Watch yourself."

"What about you guys?" Suezo queried, looking at the others. "I know that you're coming, Grey Wolf, but what about…"

"I'm coming," Scaler interrupted, returning the eyeball monster's stare coolly. "You'll be fighting with Moo sooner or later, and I plan to be there when you do…"

"Me too," added Coltia, nervously gripping her slingshot. "I… I think I can do more for the team if I come along and help than if I stay here…"

"So it's Genki, Grey Wolf, Scaler, Colt, and me," Suezo said under his breath, thinking hard. "…Well, I teleported seven of us before, when we went over the waterfall, so I should be able to handle five…"

"…So how do we do this?" Coltia asked, looking around at everyone.

"…Back in our village, when I was little… Melon used to teleport us around the forest," Serinity volunteered shyly after a few moments. "I…I can tell you what he used to tell us, back then…"

"Go ahead, Serinity," Grey Wolf prompted gently, looking at the pixie hybrid. "We'll follow your lead."

"Al…alright," she replied, nodding. Taking a deep breath to steel herself, she began, "First, you need to form a circle around Suezo and…join hands…"

"Uh…hmm," Grey Wolf muttered, sweatdropping slightly.

Smiling as she realized what was wrong, Coltia reached down and picked up the lupine's front left paw in her hand. Genki followed her lead, taking Grey Wolf's front right paw, and as the silver-furred monster nodded gratefully at him, the three positioned themselves around Suezo. Silently, Scaler completed the small circle by taking Genki and Coltia's free hands in his own, and glanced back toward Serinity.

"All of you have to focus your thoughts on Suezo," the pixie hybrid instructed, her voice becoming calmer as she recalled the instructions that Melon had given her as a child, when he was planning to take her and her friends somewhere in the forest quickly. "You have to try and… give your strength to him. Try to picture where you want to go; Suezo needs as clear an image of the area as possible."

She didn't mention that this last direction was actually a guess: Melon had always had their intended destination in mind without any help from the children. However, since he had always told them to focus their thoughts on him, to help him concentrate on shifting all of them, she assumed that they also contributed to the process in some manner.

"If this doesn't work, somebody is going to pay dearly," Scaler muttered as he closed his eyes.

"It'll work," Genki whispered. "It's gotta work!"

"Try to picture yourselves arriving where you want to be," Serinity continued in a strong, clear voice. "That's…that's all I can really tell you… The rest is up to you."

"Genki-chi…be careful, chi!" Mocchi called out, watching with wavering eyes from where he stood with the remaining searchers.

Without opening his eyes and turning toward the sound of his friend's voice, Genki grinned and nodded slightly.

"You guys be careful, okay?" Eboni added, gripping Holly's hand slightly for comfort. "Watch yourselves!"

"We'll be waiting…" Holly added softly. "…Genki…Suezo…everyone…"

Alan nodded agreement, glancing over at the bronze-eyed girl out of the corner of one narrowed sapphire eye. Awkwardly, he waved farewell, even though none of the small group before him had their eyes open.

As they watched, transfixed, a saffron light began to pulse around Suezo's body. It spread to envelop the four rebels encircling him: their clothes, hair and fur rippled as if caught in a sudden breeze. Scaler's leather cloak billowed around him, as Grey Wolf's silvery fur ruffled and swayed.

"Tele…PORT!" Suezo shouted at the top of his lungs, and the yellow aura flared brightly for a fleeting instant before vanishing.

The light faded, leaving Holly, Alan, Serinity, Eboni and Mocchi alone. The pink-skinned monster whimpered, and Holly draped a comforting arm around his shoulder, hugging the black-furred rabbit closer to her with her other arm. A strong hand grasped her shoulder; looking up, she found herself staring into Alan's solemn face.

"They'll be alright," he said, sapphire eyes glinting briefly as he smiled crookedly at her. "That Genki's too stubborn to get himself killed like this…"

"…Yes," Holly agreed, more for the benefit of the two young monsters beside her than out of any real conviction she felt.

Gently, she began to guide the pair away, Alan walking directly behind her as they headed back toward the inn. They needed to check on their other companion: worrying about the safety of their other friends would have to wait for a little while…

Left alone, Serinity lost whatever strength had been sustaining her, and she slumped to the ground, weeping. Tears streaked her pale cheeks, trickling down to fall unchecked on the smooth, pebble-strewn road beneath her. She raised wavering leaf green eyes toward the sky: the stars continued to shimmer and wink down at her kneeling form, unaffected by the problems of the world. Trembling, she whispered a short, halting prayer, one that seemed to sum up the one thought overpowering all others in her tortured heart.

"Please, save us all…"


	15. Rescue Team Rumblings of War

* * * Episode Fifteen: Genki's Rescue Team – Tidings of Incoming War * * *

* * * Episode Fifteen: Rescue Team – Rumblings of War * * *

__

He hadn't realized that it would be like this.

__

Genki hadn't been certain exactly what to expect, of course. Try as he might, he had not been able to remember what it had felt like when Suezo had first used his teleportation ability, the first time the eyeball monster had shown such a power. It was back during their first quest, when the Courageous Seven had attempted to raft up a river just to get a break from all of the endless walking. For once, they wanted to try something different…

__

It was different, all right: the baddies used the current to their advantage and directed the raft directly over a waterfall. He remembered the feel of the wind brushing past him in a raw torrent, the damp touch of misty spray from the cascading wall of water mixing with his sweat, falling, falling, endlessly falling… Then landing with a thud on soft grass, much to his astonishment.

__

But he couldn't remember just how he had gotten there, even after he knew the cause: Suezo had teleported all of them to safety, but…

__

…Nothing… He could recall nothing about how it had felt. It had all happened so quickly that the actual sensation that came from the sudden transference apparently hadn't registered at all with his senses…

__

At least, that was what he had thought back then. Now, however, he realized the truth.

__

The reason he wasn't able to remember how it felt to be teleported… was because it didn't feel like anything at all. He could feel… he felt… nothing… nothing at all. He was deaf, he was blind, he couldn't smell anything, and he…

__

…He didn't understand. He KNEW that the others were there with him, that he was holding Scaler and Grey Wolf's paws, but… he couldn't feel them… couldn't even feel his HANDS anymore, or his arms… ANYTHING! 

__

Panic set in, despite himself: had something gone wrong? What if the teleportation spell had failed, somehow? Had… had the others made the jump without him? Had he lost his grip, been separated from them somehow, or had his mind been pulled out of his body or… Thousands of doubts, fears, ideas of what could have gone wrong flashed through his consciousness…if he could honestly call it that: did he even possess a mind of his own anymore?

__

He wanted to scream, perhaps he did somehow manage to scream, but if that was even possible for him anymore, the sound was lost in the endless void, the darkness around him, a blackness that wasn't even the absence of light as much as it was the absence of anything… everything…

* * *

__

* …Genki… *

__

* …Genki, get up… *

__

* Come on, Genki, where's that endless energy of yours? Don't tell me you're giving up now, after everything we've been through! *

__

~ …I'm not giving up… ~

__

* There, that's the Genki I know! Now hurry up and get going! You're running out of time! *

__

* …(Be careful…)… *

* * *

"…Ah!"

Clear brown eyes flashed open, then immediately winced tightly shut again, not used to the bright glare of light that flooded into them. However, they only remained closed for the space of a few heartbeats, then slowly reopened, carefully this time, as their owner let out a pained moan.

"…Wh…whuh…" Genki stuttered: his tongue felt like a lump of lead clamped into his dry mouth, and he subconsciously decided that trying to speak was not the best activity to attempt at this time.

Dimly, he became aware of the fact that one of his hands was aching: as his blurring vision focused, he glanced down to see white fingers clenched tightly, desperately, around a silver-furred paw. Grey Wolf's claws were digging into his palm, drawing a few droplets of scarlet blood that stood out vividly against his pale skin.

Gradually, he realized that he was still squeezing Scaler's paw as well. As his vision cleared, he could see the rest of the small group that had chosen to attempt the teleport: Grey Wolf, Coltia and even Scaler looked just as pale and exhausted as he felt, and Suezo…

Genki's eyes widened in horror, for the eyeball monster was unconscious, his normally yellow skin drained of nearly all color. His pupil looked foggy and unfocused, the green-gold iris now more of a milky whitish shade.

"Sue…Suezo!" Genki shouted, nearly choking on his tongue, which still felt heavy and awkward.

At the sound of the boy's cry, the eyeball monster groaned, seemingly in recognition, and the other three members of the small party moaned as well. Grey Wolf slumped forward, his paws sliding out of Genki and Coltia's hands without meeting any resistance, and Scaler moved similarly, half-staggering backward.

"Ge…Genki-iiiii…did we ma…make it?" Coltia whispered: she appeared to be having the same difficulty speaking as the boy was.

Too drained to answer, Genki simply nodded his head, once, and a shaky grin appeared on the girl's face. However, her smile quickly faded, and she let out a weak moan as she slumped back to the ground again.

"…Didn't…expect…it to be…like this," Scaler muttered, more to himself than for the benefit of any of the others.

Grey Wolf nodded silent agreement, even as the silver-furred lupine struggled to stand up on trembling legs.

"…We…have to…get moving," he gasped. "…My…pack…"

"Don't wanna move," whined Coltia peevishly, laying flat on her back and gazing up at nothing in particular. "Too tired…"

"…Come…come on, let's get moving," Genki prompted, managing to stand up and keep relatively balanced on his own two feet. "We…we gotta get…"

"…Genki…you are insane," muttered Scaler. "We…aren't…" he paused to catch his breath, grimacing at his weakness, then forced his voice to remain steady as he hissed, "We are not in any condition to travel. The teleportation took more energy than we had expected…"

"Hey, no problem… I am Mister Energy, after all," Genki replied, a hint of his normal personality returning as he finally managed to stand.

To emphasize his point, Genki then thumped himself on the chest once with his fist. Unfortunately, this backfired on the boy, for he immediately began to cough and hack painfully, the impact having jarred his body more than he had expected. Coltia stared at him and sweatdropped, while Scaler mercifully chose not to comment.

"Genki…I can't move," whined Suezo, and Genki winced, noticing how faint and weak the eyeball monster's normally loud voice sounded.

"Are you sure?" Coltia asked, testing her legs as she spoke. "…I mean, have you tried to get up or…?"

"Yes," the eyeball monster moaned, sounding more than a little frustrated. Whether this was caused by his current inability to move or by the doubt in the girl's voice was impossible to discern.

"Oh…well, here," and reaching out with both hands, Coltia strained to help the yellow monster stand on his own foot.

Genki quickly went to help his friends, and Scaler watched quietly as the two humans pushed Suezo upright, only for the eyeball monster to collapse the moment Coltia loosened her grip. Realizing her mistake, she scrambled to regain lost ground, but it was obvious that they were fighting a losing battle.

"…Just leave him," the green rabbit hissed abruptly, shaking his head at the two young humans' fumbling.

"What?!" Genki exclaimed, glaring over at the cloaked rabbit while Coltia gasped.

"You heard me. We're wasting valuable time: the longer we stay here, the less time we will have to prepare Grey Wolf's pack for the battle with Moo's forces. …You did say that you wanted to get moving, didn't you?"

"………" Genki gritted his teeth and fumed, knowing that Scaler was turning his own words against him.

"Genki…" Coltia murmured, staring at the clear-eyed boy.

He was almost painfully of her eyes upon him, and of the fact that Suezo was also staring at him. The eyeball monster's green-gold pupil was still foggy with pain, yet now part of that distress came from worry that his friends might possibly abandon him here.

"…If you can't move him, then leave him here," Scaler continued matter-of-factly, as if he didn't understand why this would be a point of contention. "It would be a waste of time to lug him along…"

"…If Hare was the injured one, would you be so quick to suggest that?" Grey Wolf suddenly spoke up, regarding the cloaked rabbit intently with ice blue eyes.

Scaler stiffened slightly, violet-brown eyes smoldering as he glared at the silver-furred lupine, although the expression passed quickly. His normal indifference returning, the scaled hare said nothing more, simply watching the others silently as Genki and Coltia struggled to support Suezo between them.

Finally, by twining their arms behind the eyeball monster's head and bracing him with their free hands, they were able to move forward, albeit slowly. After taking a few shaky steps forward to test whether or not the support would work, Genki glanced over his shoulder at Grey Wolf and Scaler.

"So where we going?" he queried, his normal attitude resurfacing for a moment.

Grey Wolf raised his head and sniffed the air, ice blue eyes running over the surrounding area as he got his bearings. After a few moments, he started forward, deeper into the canyons, pausing only long enough to glance back at his companions.

"This way," he called, indicating the path with a slight movement of his head. "Try to keep up."

This last comment was both instruction and a bit of a joke, for the silver-furred lupine knew all too well that he would not be moving very quickly for a while: at least, not until his body fully recovered from the effects of the teleportation. Turning around, he started towards home, leading the small group of rebels down the paths he knew by heart…

* * *

A single Datonare paced along the ridge, his short, dark green fur stirred both by the movement and the cool breeze that was currently sweeping through the canyon. While the young wolf was grateful for the gentle wind's presence – guard duty was unbearable enough without having to worry about getting overheated – at the same time, he was bored out of his mind.

Ever since Grey Wolf's departure, the pack had decided to begin assigning more patrols… just in case anything happened.

__

Yeah, right. As if anything ever happens around here, the young Datonare thought bitterly. _The baddies we run across around here are pathetic, weak creatures… what's there to be worried about? If this is the best Moo can come up with…_

The wolf was stirred out of his self-pity and mutterings when a slight movement at the edge of his vision caught his attention. Whirling around, the young Datonare dropped into a battle crouch, lips curling back to reveal sharp fangs that glittered in the remaining light from the setting sun.

However, his defensive position lasted only a few seconds before his tense muscles abruptly relaxed again, and the Datonare stared in shock, his pale yellow eyes widening as they took in the sight of a familiar, silver-furred monster.

"Hey, Grey Wolf!" he howled in recognition, temporarily forgetting that the elders had specifically told him to remain silent while on patrol.

The silver-furred lupine looked up, the confusion and shock in his eyes soon giving way to relief and understanding.

"Ah, Toge, what are you doing out here?" he called to his pack-mate; then, before the green wolf could answer, continued, "Never mind. I'm afraid there isn't much time to talk; could you run ahead and gather the others? There's something that the whole pack needs to know…"

"Right!" Toge nodded swiftly, then turned on his heels and was off, eager to show his worth to his leader.

"Not much further now," Grey Wolf commented, sighing slightly as old memories tugged at the corners of his mind. Glancing back over his shoulder at his companions, he asked, "Do you think you can hang on for a little while longer? You'll be able to rest soon…"

"We're fine, let's go!" Genki said impatiently.

A ghost of a smile flickered over Grey Wolf's muzzle: despite the boy's bravado, the silver-furred lupine knew that Genki was just as worn out as the rest of the small team of rebels. Both he and Coltia were gaining about as much support from Suezo as they were giving the eyeball monster, and all three seemed on the verge of collapse. As for Scaler, the cloaked rabbit had been silent for the entire trek, but Grey Wolf could tell that even he was exhausted.

Unfortunately, as the small 'rescue team' stumbled into the system of interlocking caves that the pack called home, they discovered a new problem: hordes of lupine monsters eager for stories of their travels, to hear tales of their adventures, their discoveries…

"Grey Wolf! You've returned!"

"Is the war over already? Have you defeated Moo?"

"Where are the other members of your group? Weren't there more girls before?"

"Have you seen…"

"…Is Moo finally dead? Is it over?"  
  
"Grey! Did you ever find Tiger?"

Closing his eyes to fight back the waves of fresh grief, sorrow, exhaustion and pain that threatened to overwhelm him, Grey Wolf carefully considered his answer before trusting himself to open his mouth.

"…No, the war is not over," he heard himself say in a tone he thought was remarkably calm. "The reason that the other members of the rebels are not here is because they remained behind while we brought you this news. …Moo is coming here. He plans to attack and kill our pack."

Gasps and shocked mutterings rippled through the assembled lupine monsters like the rumblings of a distant thunderstorm, and the small band of searchers waited for the pack's reaction. Some of the elders bowed their heads sadly, as if not surprised by this revelation. Pups snuggled close to the legs of their parents and caretakers, bright eyes flicking around from face to face in confusion, not fully comprehending what was happening. Some of the wolves cursed under their breath, others were not quite so discreet with their displeasure, as growls and snarls punctuated the hushed whispering.

"What are we going to do?" several lupine wondered aloud, some looking at their friends and family for guidance as other eyes turned toward Grey Wolf.

"We have several options open to us," the silver-furred lupine replied. "We may have enough time to abandon this lair and move to a different area…or we can fight. If we stay, however, I cannot…" –here his voice crackled slightly as his resolve weakened for a heartbeat– "…cannot guarantee your survival."

Trailing off, Grey Wolf closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable response.

"…I don't know about the rest of you," one of the Datons piped up after a few moments of silence, "but I'm staying."

"This is our home; there's no way that we're gonna let those jerks drive us off!"

"Yeah! Let's show them!"

As the caverns filled with howls of assent and snarls of agreement, Scaler nodded silently to himself. The cloaked hare had supposed that the wolves would not allow themselves to be driven away from their home so easily…

Then, too, it had been obvious from the expression on Grey Wolf's face: the silver-furred lupine had already known what the answer would be even before the question had been asked. While his pack brothers and sisters added their voices to the growing outcry to defend their home, Grey Wolf remained completely silent, his ice blue eyes half-closed as he became lost in thoughts of his own: probably of his time as a baddie, or of what he had learned about Tiger of the Wind… about Moo…

Scaler glanced over at the other three rebels just in time to catch Genki and Suezo exchanging a knowing look, and Coltia on the verge of tears. Out of the small group of searchers that had come along on the journey, only the cloaked rabbit himself did not appear to be affected by the unfolding events.

Violet-brown eyes narrowed slightly, burning like twin embers under a veil of shadows as his thoughts drifted back against his will to another place far from reach. Stubbornly he forced these dreary thoughts away: better to focus one's energy on what one could accomplish, instead of wasting time anguishing over past mistakes…

He had let Moo live long enough to seriously wound Hare. That, he vowed silently as he tightened his grip on the hilt of one of his long swords, would be a mistake that he would come to correct…

* * *

"You did not tell them."

Grey Wolf winced inwardly at the scaled hare's matter-of-fact tone, wondering why that sounded more accusing than if Scaler had shouted at him in outrage.

"I couldn't," he admitted, bowing his head sadly. "There's just no way I can tell them that… my own brother…"

"Grey…" Coltia sighed, not knowing what to say.

She glanced around the small cavern they were currently resting in: after Grey Wolf had informed the pack of the impending battle, they had finally managed to secure some private places to rest. Both she and Genki were sitting on some fairly flat boulders they had found, while Suezo leaned up against the outcropping, the picture of exhaustion. At the entrance, Scaler was also perched on a large stone, keeping one eye out for possible eavesdroppers while the searchers conversed.

"…What are we going to do?" she sighed, more to herself than anything else. "Does anyone have any ideas?"

Only silence followed her query, and she looked around at the others nervously, starting to sweat. Annoyed, Genki frowned thoughtfully, not willing to give up.

"Come on, people, there must be something…"

"…Genki. Coltia. Here."

At the sound of their names, both young humans glanced over at the speaker in surprise. Silently, Scaler reached into his cloak and slid a pair of long daggers out of his cloak. He tossed them toward the pair, so that one of the blades landed neatly at Genki's feet, the other in front of Coltia.

"…Scaler?" Coltia inquired meekly, staring at the short sword at her feet, then looking up at the green rabbit curiously.

"…Keep those weapons handy," he replied simply, regarding them with his dark violet-brown eyes. "…The battle is likely to be very harsh, and neither of you has any special attacks of your own. You both will be extremely vulnerable… In the heat of combat, don't expect me or any of the other monsters to come to your aid. You will both be on your own. …If it comes down to you being forced to fight, with those, at least, you'll have more of a chance…"

"………Oh," Coltia said weakly, her tan eyes widening as comprehension struck.

Staring down at the blade at her feet, she made no move to pick it up, a strange mixture of fear and foreboding twisting her facial features. Genki was similarly frozen, clear brown eyes locked on the gleaming edge of the short sword before him.

"…You do know how to use a blade, don't you?" the green rabbit asked coolly after a few moments, arching one eyebrow at their hesitation. "…I noticed that Holly carried a dagger on her belt, but I never saw her using it… I don't recall seeing either of you with a weapon…"

"We can use them," Genki replied hotly, and, with a sudden, decisive movement, the boy crouched and picked up the long dagger from the floor.

Standing up, he weighed the weapon in his hand, as he had seen Alan and Scaler do before. Gripping the hilt, he tested the blade's balance without really knowing exactly what he was doing, simply mimicking what the pair of experienced fighters did with their own swords. It felt fine to him: after all, it had been one of Scaler's, and he assumed that the green rabbit had given him one of his decent daggers.

Beside him, Coltia had also picked up the blade given to her, and held it uncertainly, gripping the hilt tightly. She was unused to holding any sort of weapon other than her slingshot, which she had thought would be enough when she had first joined the other rebels. She was no soldier, and the only other blade she had wielded had been a knife, and that only while she was helping to prepare meals.

But now… everything seemed to be changing all at once. Coltia understood now that her little slingshot, a childish toy compared to what she now held in clammy hands, would offer her little protection in the conflict to come. But with this…

"…Thank you," she said awkwardly, feeling a need to show appreciation for what the scaled hare had given her, even if she didn't honestly know how she truly felt about it.

Scaler merely nodded curtly in her direction, acknowledging her gratitude without saying anything in return. He appeared perfectly content to let the gesture pass unnoted.

"You know, Scaler… I didn't think you'd be capable of showing concern for others like this," commented Suezo, glancing over at the cloaked rabbit with mild surprise.

"Don't try to read too deeply into it," Scaler replied with a slight smirk tugging at the edge of his mouth for a moment. However, the faint smile faded as he added, "I know that Hare… cares for you and the others, and considers you to be his dear friends. If… when he recovers, I'd rather not have to tell him that any of you were killed while he was… unable to help you. It would… shatter him."

The small band of rebels fell silent, each glancing around at their companions as they considered the scaled hare's words. They remembered their absent members, miles and seemingly worlds away from where they currently stood, and what they currently faced.

"…They'll be alright," Genki said after a few moments, his voice sounding strange in the heavy air that seemed to hang over the group. "…No matter what happens here, Holly, Mocchi, Eboni, Alan, the Worms, Serinity, and Hare will be fine…"

"…I know why you wanted them to stay behind," Scaler quietly added, looking directly at the clear-eyed youth. "…I mean, your partner Mocchi and the other child, Eboni… You did not want them to be dragged into this battle, and if…"

"Don't say it," begged Suezo suddenly, green-gold eye filling with fear as he interrupted the cloaked rabbit.

"I have to. We have to face the facts…"

"………" Suezo dropped his gaze to the floor, trembling a little as the scaled hare gazed around at the others with his deep, dark eyes.

"If we die here, _they can continue the quest._"

The eyeball monster winced visibly, as did Coltia, for the green rabbit's calm words forced them to confront a possibility they had been struggling not to consider. _If they died here…_

"We're not gonna die," Genki said firmly, clear brown eyes shimmering as he caught the attention of his teammates once more. Smiling, he winked and explained, "I promised Mocchi, Holly and the others that we'd be careful… that we're all coming back. So it'll be okay. Right?"

"R-right!" Coltia replied, returning his smile shakily with not as much confidence as the boy showed.

"Yeah, that's right," Suezo said softly, grinning and shaking his head slightly. "You guys are right… I'm not gonna die here… I'm gonna go back… for Holly's sake…"

His voice trailed off, and the eyeball monster slumped down against the wall as sleep finally overtook his senses. The other four rebels stared over at him with varying degrees of surprise and amusement: Coltia giggled behind her hand, while Genki just grinned even wider.

"…Hey, at least he's getting some sleep," Grey Wolf observed mildly, standing. "I think we should go, you guys: I don't want to deal with him if we accidentally woke him up…"

"Yeah…" Coltia giggled, as she and Genki quietly tiptoed out of the small cavern, leaving the slumbering Suezo snoring behind them.

"Besides, you need your rest too," added Grey Wolf in a half-chiding, half-mocking manner, a slight grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Genki grimaced, annoyed, and Coltia couldn't resist giggling at his peeved expression.

"Come on, you know he's right," she teased, skipping ahead of him. Turning on her heel to face the others, she smiled mischievously and taunted, "I'm gonna get the best cave for my room! See you!"

"Hey, that's not fair!" Genki shouted, running after her as she darted down the corridor.

Left behind, Grey Wolf and Scaler glanced at each other in mild amusement.

"What does she mean, the 'best cave' for her room? All the caves look more or less the same to me, and I LIVE here," the silver-furred lupine wondered, sweatdropping.

Rolling his eyes, Scaler muttered, "Humans," as if that explained everything.

The pair of monsters walked in silence for a few moments, echoes of Coltia and Genki's shouting at one another drifting back toward them. However, Grey Wolf's amused smile quickly faded as he noticed the solemn look on the scaled hare's face. While he was used to the cloaked rabbit's indifferent air, he could tell that something was wrong.

"…There was another reason that I gave them the daggers," Scaler confided under his breath finally, not even bothering to glance at his companion as he spoke. "If worse comes to worse, and we are about to be overpowered…"

The silver-furred lupine nodded quickly, sensing what the cloaked hare was driving at.

"Do you think that they'll know to…" Grey Wolf trailed off meaningfully, not quite able to force himself to say the concept aloud.

"I don't know. But at the very least, that route is open to them…"

As he said this, Scaler quietly patted the hilt of one of his daggers: a thin, straight stiletto he kept positioned close at his side at all times. He considered it his own final path, when all other choices were lost to him: no matter what, he would not allow himself to be captured alive and have his mind, his free will, taken from him by Moo. He would not allow the enemy leader to have that satisfaction…

"…Scaler…if it comes to that…"

Grey Wolf faltered, his voice breaking faintly. The green rabbit locked eyes with him, regarding him quietly, then slowly nodded, once, deliberately.

"…If there is time, and no other hope of escape… If you so wish, I will see to it that they take as few of us alive as possible. …Only if that is what you truly want, however…"

"Yes… I'd rather have that happen, then see my pack turned into simply more of Moo's mindless soldiers…"

Scaler and Grey Wolf looked deeply into each other's eyes, deep pools of violet-brown returning the thoughtful, haunted gaze of pale, ice blue panes. Each knew what the other was thinking: if they were caught alive, it would be a horrible end for all of them. But for Genki and Coltia, the humans… It would be much worse.

* * *

Silvery moonbeams streaked the darkened canyon walls with stripes of alternating light and shadow, causing the familiar surrounding to have an almost sinister look to the wolves that patrolled the area around their dens. Although most understood that it was only an illusion, they still glanced around warily from time to time, tensing each time they thought they glimpsed a flicker of movement in the darkness. Thankfully, every instance had turned out to be a false alarm… so far.

Toge swallowed in a futile attempt to calm himself, yellow eyes scanning over the cliffs towering above him carefully. His violently pounding heart took a sudden leap into his tightening throat as a dry, brittle snap sounded behind him, and the young Datonare whirled around, pale greenish-yellow electricity sparking into life around his horns… only to sigh in relief as the flickering light caused by his charging attack illuminated a familiar lupine face.

"Damnit, Saffron, you trying to get yourself killed or something?" he snarled, struggling to keep his voice low enough so that none of the other patrollers would overhear him.

The female Daton just sniffed, tossing back her head disdainfully, her long, pink-and-yellow mane waving and rippling with the movement. Despite himself, Toge stared openly at her rustling fur, noticing how it glistened faintly in the moonlight. Mentally, he kicked himself: he could never stay mad at Saffron for long, and both knew this all too well. Sighing, he shook his head in defeat.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked, trying a different angle.

"What do you think? I'm your relief for the watch, stupid!"

"Oh…"

A light red tinge spread across the Datonare's muzzle for a heartbeat, then faded as Toge shook his head again, frowning at his own stupidity. Turning away, he started back down towards the caves.

"…Toge?"

At Saffron's soft whisper, Toge paused: somehow, she didn't sound like the cocky young pup he had grown up with.

"…What is it, Saff?" he replied, using an old nickname for the Daton he recalled from their younger days.

"…Do you think that… Moo is really planning to come here?"

"I don't know, Saff… but that's what Grey Wolf said, and I know he's no liar."

"I know…"

As the female Daton let out a sorrowful sigh, Toge turned back toward her, concerned. If Saffron, normally so bold and cocky about her fighting ability, was acting this upset about the possibility of a battle…

"…Hey, don't be like that, Saff. It'll be alright," he whispered, walking back up beside his childhood friend. Grinning lopsidedly, he managed to wink as he added, "We've never had any problems with the baddies around here before, so why will this be any different?"

Saffron made no reply, simply gazing silently into the night sky, wondering how her friend could be such an idiot. Unlike Toge, she remembered clearly how a single squadron of Moo's Dinos had massacred the pack before, leaving a trapped, bruised and beaten Tiger of the Wind as the only survivor. Not all of the members had retained this memory for some reason; maybe some had blocked the experience from their minds, or had been claimed by death too quickly for it to make any sort of lasting impression. But she was one of the ones who remembered her defeat. A shiver ran down the base of her spine as she recalled, all too clearly, the feel of her murderer's strong jaws closing around her neck, the agony of having the breath slowly choked out of her by the force of those sharp teeth digging into her skin, her final gasping breaths…

"Hey Saffron, do you see that?"

"Huh?" was the Daton's eloquent reply, blinking in confusion as she snapped out of her temporary gloom.

Glancing over at Toge, she saw that her friend was staring intently into the sky, his pale yellow eyes narrowed slightly as he strained to get a clearer view of whatever it was he was gazing at. Turning her head, Saffron followed his example, a low growl rumbling from deep in her throat as she scanned the horizon carefully.

Then she spotted what exactly the Datonare was looking at: a dark shadow floating across the half moon's pale face, blotting out the waning source of light. It seemed to be drawing ever closer, and the two wolves glanced briefly at one another out of the corner of their eyes, each thinking the exact same thing.

"…We better get back to the others," Toge stated more than suggested, taking a few steps backward as he spoke, eyes still locked on the star-like silhouette high above their heads.

Saffron nodded in reply, also backing up slowly as she did so, unwilling to take her gaze away from the foreboding sight. The pair continued to edge backwards for several more seconds, before both suddenly whirled round and took off towards home at a dead run, neither wanting to leave their backs turned on whatever that shadow was for long…

* * *

In one of the sprawling, black crystalline rooms on board the floating fortress, Moo stood with both arms crossed over his chest, narrow red and golden eyes glittering faintly as they reflected the projected image of the two running wolves before him. At his side, a Weed glanced up at his master timidly, expectantly.

"…Master?" he ventured hesitantly after a short pause. "…Shall we take care of these two scouts, or…?"

"Leave them be," Moo interrupted, and the purple plant cringed away reflexively. "Let them tell their friends and family that we have come to claim their lives. If they are smart, they may surrender themselves to us. If not…"

He trailed off meaningfully, a smirk contorting the visible side of his face. The Weed struggled not to shudder: somehow, his master's chosen new appearance unnerved him even more than the whole mask had. That pale, unnaturally white skin, with only the angry red scar that stretched down over his forehead to his cheek adding color to its otherwise chiseled, dark beauty… paired with the smooth ebony and blood red eye that covered the other side of his face, frightened him…

"Shall… shall I begin assembling the army for our assault?" the Weed choked weakly, fighting down the urge to tremble as Moo glanced down at him with his cold, cruel eyes.

"…Humph. If we use our entire force, the weaklings will be wiped out without much of a struggle," the cloaked titan muttered, frowning as if this idea displeased him.

"…B-but master… isn't that what you want?"

"_No_," Moo snarled, glaring down at the cowering plant monster disdainfully as the Weed let out a frightened cry and flinched away from him. "I want them to suffer… If all of them are wiped out in one fell swoop, then their suffering would only last for a few short moments. But, if we assault their home with waves of my warriors, with smaller, concentrated attacks… it would prolong their agony. Think of it, Weed: the poor, stupid dogs will be slowly worn down by each attack, their numbers dwindling with every battle. The survivors will see the lost discs of their friends and family around them, and know that at any moment, they may be joining them in death… and the attacks will come so suddenly, sweeping in and withdrawing before they even grasp what is happening… Each living instant will be nothing more than a horrible reminder of their helplessness, of what will ultimately happen to them…"

Aghast, the Weed regarded his commander with new horror as the armored titan let out a dry, rumbling chuckle. Moo was apparently already reveling in the mere thought of how he would torture these wolves…

"I… see, master…" he whispered, shuddering as a cold breeze seemed to swirl around them, rippling his commander's cape and setting the titan's long hair to dancing…

* * *

Suezo huddled in a tight ball, his leg wrapping around his body as he struggled to remain asleep. This was a difficult task, considering the fact that somebody was howling wildly outside…

"Tiger, lemme get some sleep," he muttered absently, before realizing his mistake. He had been dreaming about the past again, of the first quest, and in his tired stupor confused that memory with current reality.

An image of how Tiger now looked flooded into his sleep-hazed mind, towering over Hare's crumpled body, glaring at him with glowing crimson and golden eyes, and the eyeball monster shrieked, waking himself up. Panicking, he whipped around wildly, widened gold-green eye searching for the twisted monster before he remembered exactly where he was.

"Oh… damnit," he moaned, now fully awake.

Slumping against the boulder behind him, Suezo half-closed his eye again, even though he knew he wouldn't be falling asleep again anytime soon. The howling outside was getting louder, but he decided not to investigate just yet. If it turned out something serious was happening, then he had no doubt that Genki and the others would tell him. The kid had a habit of dragging others into bad situations… Still, at least Holly would be safe…

__

- Holly… -

The light in his green-gold pupil dimmed slightly as a wave of regret and sorrow swept over the eyeball monster at the thought of his dear friend and partner. Although normally he was quite proud of his budding psychic abilities, right now, he privately wished that he had never discovered the possibility of such a talent. Thanks to his possessing this innate power of teleportation, even though it was weak and mostly uncontrollable at this point, he had been forcibly separated from Holly… from his best friend, whose side he had sworn never to leave…

But at the same time, he knew that this was for the best. If he hadn't teleported Genki, Grey Wolf and the others here, then who would have warned Grey Wolf and Tiger's pack of the approaching Moo?

And would their warning matter…?

"Suezo! SUEZO!"

__

And that would be Genki calling, natch, Suezo thought more than a little bitterly. _He dragged me into this mess, and now something's happening…_

Grumbling under his breath, the yellow monster hopped out of the small cavern and into the main network of tunnels that connected all of the caves. Genki was standing out there waiting for him, along with Coltia, Scaler, Grey Wolf, and most of the older wolves in the pack. This latter fact caused Suezo's stomach to do a few quick flip-flops, and he glanced around at the crowd in growing fear and understanding.

"Moo's here already?" he inquired dully, his downcast tone turning his words into more of a statement of a fact than a question.

Genki and the other searchers nodded, and Coltia shuddered, her widened light brown eyes shimmering with fright. Not that Suezo could blame her; after all, he was scared out of his wits as well. Dimly, he overheard Grey Wolf barking out commands, assuming control of his pack in this impending crisis, telling his fighters – no, his friends – which areas they should defend. He had to hand it to the silver wolf, he certainly sounded as if he knew what he was doing… then again, who knew what role his experience serving as one of Moo's generals played in that?

"…Genki, I know you won't stay out of the fight, so please just promise me that you'll be careful," Grey Wolf was saying, looking directly at the boy with pleading ice blue eyes.

Genki nodded at the silver-furred wolf, clear brown eyes unusually solemn. Then, turning to face as much of the crowd as possible, the human boy abruptly grinned and winked mischievously, his normal energy and attitude reappearing. Balling one of his hands into a fist, he thrust it triumphantly into the air.

"Down with the baddies--!" Genki shouted at the top of his lungs, confidently.

"Yeah!" Suezo and Coltia shouted in unison, both partially faking their enthusiasm in an attempt to mask their nervousness.

Grey Wolf tilted back his head in a howl that was echoed by the other wolves gathered there, and even Scaler got involved in the cheer somewhat, silently raising his sword above his head with one hand, the blade pointed toward the rocky ceiling. Then, in a flurry of movement, the cheer ended and the defenders raced for the entrances, ready to begin the fight to defend their homes and friends…

* * *

"Attack."

No sooner had this quiet command passed Moo's thin lips than a horde of snarling and growling monsters launched themselves forward, charging from where they had been set down mere minutes before and towards the canyons and caves where their lupine victims lived. This was the primary squadron that the evil commander had chosen, the warriors that had been assigned to "rough up" the wolves without completely wiping them out just yet. While most of the baddies grumbled and complained about this order, none dared challenge it, seeing as how it came directly from Moo himself…

Seeing the first of their targets race out of their dens to meet them, the baddies rushed to meet them, those who could use energy attacks already building up their power while others moved in for close combat. Met by a few stray lightning blasts, they nonetheless pushed through and were soon driving the wolves backward.

One of the baddies, a Terror Dog, smirked as he unleashed a surge of violet-tinted electricity on his opponent, a Datonare. The green-furred wolf howled painfully as it staggered backward, the yelp becoming a final cry as the ebony monster drove his horns mercilessly into his victim's chest. Drawing backward, the Terror Dog allowed his smirk to widen into a toothy grin, reveling in the suffering he had just inflicted. It didn't matter to him that the dying monster before him was one of his kind: to him, this was simply another worthless cretin standing between him and his master's ideal world…

Suddenly, something hard slammed into the ebony wolf's muzzle, sending him sprawling backward with a bleeding mouth. Cursing, the Terror Dog would have immediately lunged for whoever had dealt him this blow, had it not been for the fact that he suddenly found a dagger lodged up to its hilt in his neck.

"Hey, are you okay?!" Genki shouted, spinning around to face the Datonare he had just saved.

The green wolf inclined his head slightly in what he hoped was a reassuring nod, but it was obvious to even Genki that he was suffering. As the Datonare limped back towards the relative safety of the dens, Genki skated alongside him to cover him. Meanwhile, Scaler retrieved his dagger from the tangled roots of the Terror Dog's lost disc with a firm yank, then pivoted on his heel and threw it to bury itself unerringly in the side of another attacker. Leather cloak whirling and twisting around him, the scaled hare then sprung into the midst of the conflict, long sword drawn, and proceeded to hack away at any of the enemies within range of his blades.

"Whoa… Grey Wolf didn't tell us he brought a swordsman," Toge commented, catching a glimpse of Scaler's handiwork out of the corner of his eye as he charged his lightning.

"Swordsman?" Saffron echoed, a hint of mocking coming into her tone as she arched an eyebrow at her companion.

"Well, swords-rabbit, swords-fighter, swords-something, whatever!" Toge blurted, his muzzle flushing red for a moment from confusion. Saffron just smirked at him, and the young Datonare lowered his head slightly and muttered, "Oh, shut up and fight."

* * *

"Strange… the battle should not be going this well for the pitiful wolves," Moo muttered under his breath, eyes glowing faintly as he observed the raging battle from the safety of one of the floating fortress's decks.

Beside him, the Weed sweatdropped hugely, fully expecting his master to launch into a full-fledged tirade at any second as his troops were forced backward. The wolves were fighting amazingly well, in his opinion: while it was true that those of the tiger type could be powerful, surely even so many could not muster enough strength to repulse their powerful warriors in such a manner…

"…Wait. Right there… that…"

Confused, the purple plant watched as Moo used his magic to create an illusionary mirror of the battle beneath them. Making a few arcane gestures, the titan caused the image to enlarge itself, focusing in on a certain area of the battlefield. The Weed gasped sharply as he saw what his master was so interested in: a young human boy was aiding one of the wounded defenders, knocking away the baddie about to finish off the ailing Datonare. As they watched further, a scaled hare clad in a long leather cloak and wielding a sword finished off the Terror Dog with a knife in the neck, and the Weed began to panic.

"H-h-how did they get here?!?" he blurted, astonished. "I-I thought they were dead--!"

"Obviously not," Moo commented mildly, causing his minion to gulp and glance at him fearfully.

Much to the Weed's amazement, the armored titan did not look extremely surprised or outraged by this complication. On the visible side of his face, one of his pencil-thin eyebrows was arched, and the half-mask's crimson eye glowed slightly, but other than this, Moo's face was completely emotionless.

The image before them shifted, scrolling over the battlefield, resting briefly on where a silver-furred wolf was blasting backward his opponents with his lightning attacks, then coming to rest on one of the cave entrances. Standing there side by side were a young female human and a yellow eyeball monster, and Moo abruptly smirked upon seeing the pair standing there.

"So that's it… that's how they got here so dammed fast…"

"…M-master?"

"…But it seems that they didn't bring everyone, did they?" Moo continued in an oddly amused tone, completely ignoring the shocked plant monster beside him. "No, I don't see that weak half-pixie that was with them at the fortress, nor the girl Holly… I doubt they're hiding inside, either, since that blue-haired boy with the sword and those weak young baby monsters aren't fighting… and nothing would keep that bratty pink thing from helping his friends if he could help it…"

"W-what are you getting at, master?"

"Why, isn't it obvious?" Moo replied, now actually beginning to laugh as he spun to face his lackey. "The fools must have seen where I was heading, and used that stupid Suezo – that worthless yellow eyeball somehow managed to teleport them back here – so that they could help their pathetic friends!"

Moo suddenly burst into a torrent of laughter, as if he thought this to be the funniest concept in the world, and the Weed cringed. How his master could find this amusing, he had no clue: the rebels had always seemed extremely dangerous to the purple plant, and the fact that they were now here to oppose his master yet again was not a pleasant thought in his opinion… Of course, his personal thoughts meant nothing to his all-powerful commander, so he chose to keep silent.

"…But they didn't bring their entire group here," the titan abruptly noted, cutting off his crazed laughter and taking on a thoughtful tone. "Is it possible… … …could that damned little rabbit with the Phoenix's Tear still be alive? It makes sense… …The fools typically stick together, but if one of them was injured enough that they were worried… They may have decided to split up and have some remain behind in a safe place to look after their wounded friend, while the others came back to help others fight…"

The tyrant lapsed into silence again, long enough for the purple plant to look at his leader in growing fright and concern. If it was at all possible that the little rabbit was still alive… then it meant that his master had actually failed in his task to murder the whelp, which was unthinkable.

"…Weed. Send all of our forces stationed in or nearby the mountain fortress we engaged the rebels at a message: they are to search the surrounding area very carefully. Every town, every cave, any place where one could possibly hide is to be examined. If any trace of the rebels is discovered, destroy them. Anyone who fails to follow these commands is to be made an example of. Do you understand?"

"Y-yes, master."

"Good. Then get out of my sight."

The purple plant was only too glad to comply, scrambling away with such haste that he slammed right into the closed door. Temporarily stunned by the impact, he glanced back to see Moo glaring at him, let out a frightened gasp, and hastily pried the door open, sliding through and letting it slam shut behind him, pinching one of his roots in the process.

Moo shook his head, an evil smirk twisting the visible half of his mouth, and shifted his gaze back to the image of the fight before him. His troops were withdrawing, leaving behind several of their number on the battle, although this detail did not matter to him. Instead, his attention was completely focused on the young human boy and his allies as they gathered together to celebrate their victory.

"Genki, we did it!" the girl, Coltia, was shouting as she ran to join her friends, Suezo hopping along behind her.

"This is far from over," the scaled hare cut in as the survivors began to cheer. "Moo was merely toying with us: don't think that just because we repulsed this assault, that he'll simply give up and leave."

There were murmurs of agreement from Grey Wolf and some of the older wolves, while the younger ones glanced at one another nervously. Coltia gulped and fought back a shudder, while Suezo gave into this temptation entirely. Genki gazed around as his companions and frowned.

"Don't worry, you guys, there's no way that Moo can beat us!" he proclaimed loudly, clear brown eyes shining with determination and complete confidence.

Moo allowed his cocky smirk to widen, distorting the scar that ran down the visible side of his face. The bratty human boy would soon learn otherwise… once he and his weak allies were being overwhelmed by waves of assault teams, seeing the lost discs of his precious friends lying in twisted and broken heaps around his beaten and mangled body… Plus, if he was fortunate enough, the boy might just discover the fate of the ones left behind …

Throwing back his head, golden and crimson eyes flaring, Moo began to laugh wildly, maniacally. Oh yes… he was going to enjoy the coming conflict… and the deaths of all of those damned rebels! Soon this one-sided war would end once and for all… in the only manner it could possibly end in…


	16. Discovered Moving Forward

* * * Episode Sixteen: Discovered – Escape from the Dead City * * *

* * * Episode Sixteen: Discovered – Moving Forward * * *

__

* …How long… how long have I been like this? Why can't I… *

__

* My chest still hurts… but I don't think it's because of my injuries anymore… *

__

* …Tiger… why…? *

__

* …And Genki, Scaler, Suezo, Coltia, Grey Wolf… I can barely feel them anymore… did they leave? Where did they go…? *

__

* …Please… don't leave me alone… I don't want to be alone ever again… *

__

* Don't leave me alone! *

* * *

"…Unnhhnnn… Genki… Scaler…"

Serinity watched over her patient silently, verdant eyes shimmering with tears she barely managed to withhold. While Hare's condition had improved – barely – after the others had left, the little rabbit still remained in a coma-like state. Sometimes, he murmured as if he was responding to something in a dream, or in a trance, even crying out on occasion, but… he had yet to open his eyes, even for the slightest instant. Despite all of her ongoing efforts, Hare still had not woken up… was still not fully healed…

Bowing her head, cat-ears drooping, the pixie hybrid let out a sorrowful sigh. Looking down at her hands, which for once were not poised over the small rabbit's body and glowing with pale green energy, she wondered just what worth she was to the others. She kept expending all of her power in these futile attempts to revive Hare, and still he remained in this state… True, that terrible wound in his chest had finally been sealed, not even leaving a scar, but how much of that was because of the Phoenix's Tear…? Certainly much more than it had been because of her…

Even when she wasn't putting all of her strength into her healing efforts, Serinity could do little more for the others: more often than not, she was left almost completely drained by her attempts, barely able to move around the small building they were currently using as a hideaway. Although Holly had convinced the pixie hybrid to start saving more of her energy for herself – something she had been very reluctant to do, but consented to in case she was ever needed to heal one of the other searchers – often, she found herself on the verge of collapse.

According to the others, she actually had collapsed a few times – she would abruptly find her vision blurring, then black out, later awakening to invariably find herself in bed with at least one of the other searchers nearby, watching over her. The last time it had happened, a very irritated-looking Alan had been the first one she saw, and the silver-blue-haired boy had scolded her terribly.

"You're going to kill yourself if you keep this up!" he snarled, glaring at her with cold, narrowed sapphire eyes that flashed angrily when she responded by quietly saying that she was alright. "At this rate, you won't even have to worry about the baddies finding us… you'll be a lost disc long before they ever stumble across this place!"

Harsh words, stinging enough to force her to slow down her efforts a little bit: after all, she couldn't help her friends anymore if she was dead. But at the same time… if it could guarantee the continued safety of those she cared for, Serinity was completely willing to sacrifice herself…

Leaning backward in her chair, the pixie hybrid stretched out her arms with a hushed yawn, then turned at the sound of the door opening. As she had expected, Holly was standing there, and the young woman's soft chestnut eyes met her own green ones for a few moments in silence before both smiled, softly, slowly, hesitantly.

"…Good. I was just going to tell you to take a break if you were still at it," Holly said quietly, walking over and sitting down next to the female monster.

"…Why? Do you think that I'm simply wasting my energy?"

Holly blinked, taken aback by the reply, and stared at the pixie hybrid. Her initial shock at the seeming bluntness of the query softened as she noticed the pain shimmering behind Serinity's deep green eyes: she had not meant to sound angry or sarcastic, but rather was hurt by what she thought the human girl had been implying. Quickly, Holly shook her head in the negative.

"That's not what I meant at all," she insisted, softly. "We're all worried about Hare, Serinity. But if you keep using all of your strength like this…"

"…It still isn't enough," interrupted the pixie hybrid, lowering her solemn gaze back to the figure on the bed. "He still hasn't woken up… I can't bear the thought of leaving him in this condition for any longer…"

"…Serinity."

"…I… I know it isn't much… but it's all I can do… Holly, please don't tell me to quit now. At least… as long as I am here for him, if I can at least stay by his side like this… It lets me feel like I'm… doing something…"

Tears glimmered in verdant eyes as Serinity stared directly at Holly, pleading with her even though she knew in her heart that the young woman meant well. Holly was just as worried about Hare and the other searchers as she was… it was just that she also worried about the pixie hybrid more than she herself did.

"…Serinity. Please, just don't overdo it," Holly finally told her, and the female monster nodded understanding.

"…So, where are the others?" Serinity inquired after a short pause, eager to change the subject to something else.

"Alan's standing guard here while Mocchi and Eboni went looking for more supplies," Holly quickly replied.

"By themselves?" asked Serinity, alarmed.

"Well, they were getting restless just waiting around here, and Eboni kept begging for a chance to get out and explore… I figured it would be better to just let them go instead of them sneaking off the first chance they got."

"Good point…"

* * *

Meanwhile, a few buildings away from where the others were hiding, both Mocchi and Eboni were currently having little luck on their search. So far, all they had managed to find were empty barrels and boxes, plus a lot of dust, dirt and cobwebs. The latter in particular appeared to unnerve the black-furred rabbit, and she was currently attempting to convince Mocchi not to venture through a doorway shrouded in the wispy threads.

"Look, Mocchi, if the baddies were storing anything in there, then the door wouldn't have all those webs across it!"

"Mocchi just want to look, chi. Why Eboni so upset?"

"You want me to spell it out for you? Fine. Spiderwebs usually mean spiders, okay? It's not that hard!"

"What's so bad about spiders, chi?"

"I… I… don't l-like…"

"Chi?" Mocchi blinked and cocked his head to one side, wondering why Eboni looked so pale and nervous.

Unfortunately, the side of Mocchi's head brushed against one of the webs, and when he attempted to brush the sticky strands away, a spider landed on his hand. For a few seconds, both of the youngsters simply stared wide-eyed at the little black arachnid, startled, and then…

"KYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

"CHHHHHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"

The tiny spider fell to the ground as Eboni seized Mocchi's other hand and bolted from the room, shrieking at the top of her lungs the entire time. She didn't calm down or slow down until they reached the docks, and only then did she notice that she still gripped the younger monster's arm like a vise, and he was dazed from the run, eyes spiraling.

"Whoops… sorry, Mocchi," she apologized, letting go and waiting for him to recover.

"Chiiiii… What was that for, chi?!?"

"I… don't… like… sp… spi…"

"What-chi?" Mocchi prompted, wondering why Eboni was sputtering and blushing furiously.

"Oh, just forget it!" the young Evil Hare blurted abruptly, garnet eyes flashing with embarrassment and annoyance, and she whirled around, turning her back on a completely confused Mocchi.

"Chi…? What's wrong, chi?"

Wondering how the younger monster could be so dense, Eboni just ignored Mocchi's query, still blushing furiously. As she glanced around their surroundings, trying to focus on anything besides her companion, she caught a glimpse of something she hadn't expected, and blinked in surprise. Carefully, she crept closer, keeping herself hidden behind the barrels and crates that lined the wooden docks.

"Hey Mocchi, come take a look at this," she whispered, signaling the younger monster.

"Chi?"

Coming up behind Eboni, Mocchi followed her example and hid behind a large crate, peeking out over the edge to see what had caught the black rabbit's attention. He let out a gasp: anchored at the pier was a huge ship, sails lowered, and a gangplank extended from the deck down to the harbor. Mocchi blinked: the sight was vaguely familiar, but he couldn't quite place where he had seen it before…

"Do you think it's the baddies?" Eboni asked, glancing over at Mocchi.

The thought made the pink monster shudder, and he stared at the young Evil Hare with huge, frightened eyes. Eboni frowned thoughtfully, then suddenly started sneaking forward, and the startled Mocchi scrambled after her.

"What Eboni doing, chi?!?" he whispered urgently under his breath.

"If it's the baddies, we gotta find out what they're up to," replied Eboni, waving the younger monster silent. After a few seconds, she added, "Come on…"

Mocchi could only follow as the dark-furred bunny continued to creep closer and closer to the ship, at the same time attempting to figure out just where he remembered the craft. Unlike Eboni, he wasn't certain that it belonged to the baddies…

Both children froze as they noticed some strange voices arguing nearby, and followed the sound to a nearby warehouse. As quietly as possible, the pair crept up to the doorway and peered inside: the building was shrouded in darkness thanks to the windows being blocked by the junk piled inside, so they could barely make out the outlines of the ones who were talking…

"Of all the @#$%^& luck!" a gruff voice bellowed. "Why the hell can't I ever find a place to get a decent chocolate milkshake?!?"

"Forget the stupid chocolate milkshakes, we just want some booze!" another, equally annoyed voice shot back, followed by sounds of agreement from some of the other monsters in the darkened room.

"Arrr, shut up!"

As the strangers continued arguing, Mocchi and Eboni stared at one another and sweatdropped.

"…What was that one word he said? I've never heard one like that before," Eboni whispered, a confused look on her face.

"I dunno, chi, but I remember Tiger-chi saying it before…"

"What are you kids doing here?" a deep, unfamiliar voice boomed behind them.

Both youngsters froze, then slowly turned around to see a very angry-looking suezo-type standing behind them. Its gray, tough skin reminded Mocchi somewhat of Golem, but was of a paler hue, and a yellow sheet was tied over its forehead. Furrowing its brow and frowning crossly, the eyeball monster leaned in to get a closer look at the two intruders.

"What's all the ruckus out thar?" the first voice they had heard called, sounding annoyed.

"Ya better come take a look at this, cap—"

The eyeball monster's words were cut off with a gasp as Eboni lashed out with her foot, catching him right in the center of his tail. As he staggered backward, taken off guard by the abrupt assault, the black rabbit seized the startled Mocchi's arm and gave it a tug.

"Let's get out of here!" she hissed frantically. "Come on!"

Already the strangers inside the building were coming to investigate, if the banging and shouting the pair heard were any indication. Despite his current confusion about the situation – he could have sworn he had heard those voices somewhere before – Mocchi decided the best course of action was to follow Eboni's lead, and scrambled after the bunny as she took off running. Behind them, the yelling grew louder as the others found their stunned comrade.

"Whatever you do, don't head back to where the others are hiding," Eboni instructed the pink monster as they darted away from the harbor and took temporary refuge behind a pile of empty casks. "We can't lead them there…"

"Chi," Mocchi gasped in agreement between catching his breath.

"Can't stay here long either, or they'll find us for sure…" Eboni hesitated, peeked around the edge, then added, urgently, "Okay, go _now!_"

The dark-furred rabbit then shot back out from her cover, only to suddenly freeze for a moment, much to Mocchi's surprise. On a hunch, rather than follow her out into the open, the younger monster clambered up onto the stack of barrels. It took only a simple glance down to see what had caused the Evil Hare to stop in her tracks: several eyeball monsters exactly like the one she had knocked down had been waiting for them to come out of hiding, and had fanned out to surround her.

"Ebon-chi!" Mocchi cut off his cry of the girl bunny's name with a gasp and quickly covered his mouth, realizing that he had nearly given himself away. Fortunately, none of the eyeball monsters appeared to hear his choked-off shout.

Eboni had slowly backed up until her back was pressed firmly against the wall behind her, garnet-stone eyes locked on her opponents. A determined frown on her face, she tensed every muscle in her body, readying herself as best she could for the coming fight.

"Don't think you've got me just yet, you stupid baddies!" she shouted, trying her best to sound brave despite the fact that her heart felt like it was going to pound right out of her chest. Pulling on her eyelid, she stuck out her tongue at her now visibly surprised opponents.

"Wh-what? Now see here, lass," the stranger who had been complaining about chocolate milkshakes protested, hopping forward.

Mocchi still couldn't get a good look at him yet, though, and at the moment, didn't care: all that mattered was that he was threatening one of his friends. Leaping into the air, the pink monster spun around as fast as he could, summoning a whirlwind of pale pink cherry blossoms to blind the eyeball monsters.

"What the—"

As the storm of petals swirled around the astonished strangers, Mocchi landed in front of Eboni and whirled to face her, extending one hand to the rabbit.

"Eboni, come on, chi!"

Before either could react, however, one of the monsters abruptly broke out of the blossom cloud, and both children whirled to face him. Getting his first good look at his opponent, Mocchi froze, eyes widening with surprise.

"Here now, is that any way to be treatin' an old friend, Mocchi?" the blue-and-white eyeball monster half-scolded, half-teased with a knowing grin, his fangs glinting in the sunlight.

"Captain Horn…chi?" the youngest Searcher whispered, stunned.

Eboni just stared back and forth between the two, crimson eyes wide with confusion. A huge sweatdrop appeared on the back of the black bunny's head.

"What? What? What's going on? Do you know each other? Am I missing something here? Come on, I wanna know what's happening? Wha-aaat?"

* * *

"Dammit, they should be back by now," Alan muttered under his breath, scanning the barren streets with narrowed cobalt eyes. Gripping the hilt of his sword carefully, he added, "I knew it was a bad idea for them to go off by themselves, but Holly insisted…"

Sighing, the blue-gray haired boy leaned back and gazed up towards the sky, frowning, although he was no longer simply worrying about the two young rebels. Instead, his thoughts focused on Holly, who he knew was currently watching over Hare with Serinity… actually, watching over _both_ Hare and Serinity, truth be told. Since the pixie hybrid had been draining herself so much lately, both of the humans had secretly decided to keep an eye on her… to try and keep Serinity from harming herself in her dedication to helping others…

Alan just wished he had been able to discuss more than that with Holly. He had so much he wanted… needed… to tell her, but in private… But so far, the longest time they had been alone together had been when they discussed what to do about Serinity. Even then, once they had agreed on their course of action, Holly had left almost immediately, to check in on Hare… She had left almost entirely too fast, like she was… eager to get away from him…

Wincing inwardly, Alan immediately told himself that wasn't the case. It hurt too much to think otherwise…

Absently, he fingered his bare earlobe, where the gold-loop earring he had given the girl had once hung. Its mate remained in place, always glittering whenever the light hit it, reminding him of what he had done. _Had Holly kept…_ No, wait, that was a stupid question. Of course she had kept the earring: she was too kind-hearted to simply discard something given to her as a gift from a friend…

__

– So why doesn't she want to talk to me…? –

A rustling noise caught his attention, and Alan was on his feet at once, whipping out his blade. Dark blue eyes glittering dangerously, he glanced around, not wanting to take the chance that it wasn't the two young searchers returning to the hideout.

A few seconds later, Eboni and Mocchi peeked around the corner, and he relaxed upon seeing the pair.

"…There you are," he muttered, doing his best to sound irritated with them despite being glad to see them safe. "Why in the hell did you take so long…"

"Well, uh…" stammered Eboni, blushing slightly. "You see…"

Alan arched an eyebrow at the dark-furred bunny's reaction, then froze as a third figure appeared behind the pair. Instinctively, he tensed up again, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly in both hands. This fact did not go unnoticed by the two young searchers or their new companion, as all three sweatdropped in unison.

"Now hold on thar, matey, I don't mean any harm," the stranger, a blue-and-white suezo with a pirate's hat on, insisted immediately.

"Captain Horn is a friend, chi!"

"Captain… Horn, huh," Alan echoed the name, not sounding completely convinced by Mocchi's words. Lowering his blade just a bit, he gave the eyeball monster the once-over, sapphire eyes narrowed with distrust.

"Alan? What's going on out there?"

Startled, the young swordsman turned around in time to see Holly step out behind him, confusion filling her deep bronze eyes. She and the stranger spotted each other at the same moment; Holly gasped in surprise, while the eyeball monster simply grinned.

"Captain Horn…? What are you doing here?"

"You know this guy, Holly?" Alan inquired, staring at the girl in surprise.

"Yes… he helped us out back when we were looking for the Phoenix," replied Holly, nodding. Looking over at the pirate commander, she smiled softly and added, "It's nice to see you again, Captain."

"Likewise, likewise, Miss Holly!" laughed Captain Horn, still grinning hugely. "How have things been with you and your friends? I take it Suezo is still as annoying as ever…?" Holly flinched visibly at the sound of her partner's name, and Horn's smile faded, replaced by a concerned expression as he asked, visibly subdued, "Why, nothin' happened to the scalawag, did it…?"

For a few seconds, Holly did not reply, bangs shading her downcast eyes as she gazed sadly at the ground. Alan fingered the hilt of his sword nervously and cast an angry glare in the blue eyeball monster's direction, while Mocchi and Eboni glanced at one another nervously. Then, suddenly, Holly turned around and started back into the building, pausing long enough to glance back over her shoulder at the others.

"Come in where it's safe," she said quietly. "We'll tell you what's happened to us lately…"

Then she stepped inside, Alan, Eboni and Mocchi following after her. Captain Horn hesitated a moment, a curious expression on his face, before hopping after them.

* * *

A single figure stood overlooking the tiny, seemingly deserted village, sunlight reflecting off of the medallion pinned to its collar. The monster grimaced, narrowing his bloodshot eye in annoyance: the glare was interfering a bit with his surveillance. If the Red Eye had not feared the possible consequences, he would have simply removed the thing until he was finished with his reconnaissance mission.

However, none of the ordinary warriors in Moo's army were allowed to take off their symbols at any time, on pain of death. Only the generals and very powerful, extremely loyal fighters were given this privilege, and then only under certain circumstances, such as when they were dispatched to roam the masses and spy on them without being noticed. These special monsters were also often granted many extra benefits, such as increased strength and agility or unique magic or abilities, but these could only be invoked using the medallion itself: another incentive for even those able to remove the things to keep them on at all times.

Sometimes the Red Eye wondered why the master was so insistent on having all of his minions wear his symbol at all times, but he kept such thoughts to himself. After all, he was simply a lowly eyeball monster, with no real influence in the higher workings of Moo's army, and it was rumored, though nothing could be proven, that those who questioned the master never lasted for long afterwards… if they made such things public.

"Seen anything unusual?" a deep, throaty voice made harsh from shouting commands over the din of battle hissed behind him, jolting the Red Eye back to reality.

"There appears to be little activity in the village, sir," the eyeball monster replied quickly, even as he continued to survey the town spread out below them. "About the only thing out of place I see would be a ship at the docks…"

"What kind of ship?"

"It appears to be some sort of pirate craft, sir. However, if they came searching for booty, they chose the wrong place to loot: that village has been abandoned and under the master's control for some time now. They won't find anything of value…"

"Well, they certainly picked a bad time to show up here," the commander mused, one corner of his mouth twisting up in a cruel smirk. "We were going to search that town anyway, as per Master Moo's orders… but since we know we have guests over there, shall we go ahead and give them a warm welcome?"

"Of course, sir," was the Red Eye's only reply.

* * *

"…So Suezo decided to use his teleportation to take Genki, Grey Wolf, Coltia, Scaler and himself back to where the Pack was, while the rest of us stayed behind to look after Hare. They've been gone… a few days already…"

Holly trailed off, carefully studying the expression on Captain Horn's face. The eyeball monster's jade pupil had dilated to a single dot, and he stared at her openly, looking absolutely stunned by all that she had told him. Not that she could blame him: it was a little much to take in all at once…

The girl had edited out a few choice details, however. Even as she had spoken, Holly had carefully weighed the possible impact of everything she knew about their situation, and decided that the pirate commander was better off not knowing certain things… at least for now. For instance, she had not revealed the fact that Moo's new vessel was… For all Horn knew, Tiger of the Wind was still simply missing.

It pained Holly to not be completely honest with one of her friends, but what was the alternative? The events of the last few days were wearing her down immensely, and the last thing she wanted was to hear Captain Horn's opinion on what they should do about Moo's new body… no matter which solution he chose, whether he sided with Genki or Scaler on the issue…

"…Well… Well now… it sounds like you've been under a lot of stress lately, Miss Holly," Captain Horn said slowly after a few minutes of silence, carefully choosing each word, every trace of his normal bravado gone for the moment.

Holly lowered her gaze to the ground and nodded, sadly. Alan, Serinity, Eboni and Mocchi glanced over at the maiden in concern, each lost in their own thoughts. Serinity appeared especially troubled, as her gaze drifted from where Holly sat to the doorway leading to the stairs: while part of her wanted to stay and attempt to comfort the girl, another part of her still worried about the welfare of her patient…

As if sensing Serinity's uncertainty, Holly abruptly looked up and managed a soft, half-hearted smile in the pixie hybrid's direction.

"Go ahead," she prompted gently. "You should probably check on him, anyway…"

Grateful for her friend's understanding, Serinity nonetheless hesitated for a few seconds before getting up and walking through the doorway. The pixie hybrid quietly paused and glanced back at the others, silently asking their forgiveness for leaving, then shut the door behind her before heading up to check on her patient.

"You know… it ain't safe for all of ya to be here by yourselves," Captain Horn spoke up suddenly, and the Searchers all looked back at him as he continued, "I mean, just sitting around in this here ghost town… The baddies did this, sure as the sea is vast, and if they came back…"

"Hey, don't worry about it," interrupted Alan, a slightly cocky smirk on his face. Patting his sword's hilt where it hung on his belt, he added, "My worms and I defended an entire forest by ourselves for the longest time, so we know how to deal with the baddies…"

"Yeah, and Mocchi and I are here too!" Eboni piped up. "We're not gonna let the baddies hurt any of our friends, are we, Mocchi?"  


"That's right, chi!"

"I don't think you get what I'm saying," the blue-and-white eyeball monster hissed, jaden pupil darkening with concern and annoyance. "I mean, think about it: this town was completely wiped out by Moo's forces. Somehow, I doubt the monsters who did this were on the same level as the baddies you're used to."

Alan frowned darkly, glowering at the pirate captain, and both of the younger searchers appeared somewhat sobered by Horn's words. Holly said nothing, but bit the inside of her lip and closed her eyes, letting her bangs fall down and shade her solemn face.

"Mind me, I'm not saying that you aren't capable of defending yourselves, but… With all you've said of what you've seen of these new warriors, plus what me and my crew have witnessed… we're not dealing with the same Moo. This one… this one seems even worse to me…"

__

You have no idea, Holly thought silently, opening her wavering bronze eyes slightly.

"So what do you suggest, then?" Alan inquired, regarding the pirate captain carefully.

"Why, come with me on my ship, of course!"

"What?" the Searchers cried together, taken off guard, all staring at the eyeball monster in shock.

Captain Horn simply grinned, regaining some of his former bravado.

"Why don't the lot of you join up with me and my crew for a while?" he repeated, still smiling broadly. "To be sure, there's still some baddies to worry about, but the sea's so vast they'll have trouble even finding us! It's better than hiding away in some little ruin where they might find ya at any time…"

"Captain Horn…" Holly paused, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath, then sighed sadly. "…No, we can't. I'm sorry…"

"But why not, lass?" the eyeball monster inquired, turning a hurt look on the human girl.

"…Because… if we leave here… how will Genki, Suezo and the others find us when they return?"

The room fell silent once more as each of the occupants considered Holly's quiet, simple words. She had just pointed out the single most glaring flaw in the pirate commander's proposal, and each of them knew it. If they left the hideaway… there would be no guarantee that they would be able to locate their absent friends again…

__

But then again, we don't even know for certain if we're going to see each other again if we stay here, Alan mused darkly, narrowed sapphire eyes glittering with foreboding.

They had known that much when the others had left in the first place: that it was entirely too possible that not everyone would be able to make it back. Still, it had gone unspoken, nobody wanting to bring that detail to everyone's full attention though they all privately acknowledged it in their own way…

"…I promised that we would be waiting. I… I want to keep that promise…"

"Holly…" Eboni murmured sadly, seeing tears glimmering in the girl's chestnut eyes.

"Holly, chi…"

"So… that's your decision, then?" Captain Horn asked solemnly after a few moments.

"Yes…"

The pirate commander bowed his head, letting out a forlorn sigh, then stood, keeping a composed expression on his face as he studied the small group. It was obvious that the rejection of his offer cut the eyeball monster deeply, but he struggled to conceal it as best he could: after all, even righteous pirates were not supposed to cry.

"Fine, then… Gods protect you on your travels…"

Bowing toward the rebels, Captain Horn then turned away and began to hop toward the exit, a shadow falling over his face and veiling most of his expression. Holly averted her eyes sadly, biting the inside of her lip.

__

- I… can't leave here without the others… This… is for the best… isn't it? -

Suddenly, Captain Horn halted in his tracks, his head whipping up as if startled. The searchers stared at him in surprise, and Alan instinctively grabbed the hilt of his sword.

"What is it?" the blue-gray haired boy hissed under his breath.

"Thought I saw somethin' moving outside," was the pirate commander's equally hushed reply, as Horn edged closer to one of the windows. It was mostly covered by nailed-up boards, but one could still see through the gaps in the blockade to the streets outside. As the eyeball monster peered outside, the rebels crept up behind him and sneaked their own glances through the window as well.

Mocchi was the first to see what the pirate had first glimpsed, and the youngest searcher barely caught his gasp in time. Captain Horn shot a quick look over at the pink monster and inclined his head slightly in an understanding nod.

"Soldiers," the eyeball monster snarled, lips curling up to reveal the sharp fangs that were one of the traits of his half-tiger blood.

  
Monsters of various breeds and sizes were stalking through the streets, some trying to be silent and stealthy, others simply crashing through without giving a damn as to who heard or saw them. The only thing they shared in common was the fact that an all-too familiar medallion was pinned on each one somewhere, be it on their clothes, a collar, or simply their fur.

"Looks like Moo's forces arrived sooner than we thought," Alan noted grimly, cobalt eyes glittering in the dim light from the setting sun that trickled through the gaps in the window. Glancing over in Holly's direction, he added, "No offense, Holly, but maybe we should reconsider the captain's offer."

"………" Holly said nothing, but her bronze eyes shimmered with emotion as she slowly nodded in agreement.

"Wow, there's a whole bunch of them," noted Eboni, staring at the milling troops in shock. "How are we gonna get past all of them at once?"

"We can't…"

Stepping away from the window, Holly motioned for the other searchers to gather around her. As all eyes turned to the maiden, she took a deep breath to calm herself: this time, she would have to be the one making the plan of action. She couldn't let herself be distracted by thinking about what would happen if she screwed up…

"…Okay, listen. We're going to have to split up," she started in a rush, keeping her voice calm, clear and composed. Pointing at Eboni and Mocchi, she instructed, "You two stick together and make your way to Horn's ship. You know where it's at, right?"

"Sure, at the docks," Eboni affirmed, absently waving in the general direction of the harbor with one paw.

"Good. Alan, you go get the Worms from where they're hiding and take them to the ship as fast as you can. Captain, you go with him…"

"But, Holly!" Alan and Horn said in unison, both startled.

"Don't start," she warned, chestnut eyes suddenly looking harsh and angry for an instant. However, the mad expression vanished in a heartbeat, and her voice remained calm and gentle as she explained, "Alan, the Worms are going to have a hard time getting past without getting seen… You'll probably end up fighting most of the way, and I'd prefer that Captain Horn be with you. That way, you'll have a better idea of where you're headed, and if you need to fight…"

"…But, Miss Holly, what about you?" Horn inquired, looking extremely concerned.

"I'm going to get Serinity and Hare, and we'll meet you at the ship. Don't worry, we'll be careful."

With that, Holly stood up and ran toward the door where Serinity had gone without allowing any time for the others to dispute her plan. There was no time to waste on ironing out any more details: they could only act now if they hoped to escape.

Mocchi was the first to act: he turned to Eboni and nodded sharply, signaling the black rabbit to act. She nodded back, and the two darted toward another window that only had a single pair of boards nailed over it. As the pair worked on loosening the nails, Alan glanced at his assigned partner and frowned slightly. The expression on the eyeball monster's face indicated that he felt similarly, but they could hardly debate the matter…

"Let's go," Alan said curtly, and darted toward the exit without another word.

Rolling his eye, Captain Horn then closed it tightly and concentrated. He vanished, reappearing briefly in front of a startled Alan, then looked up at the boy with a slightly superior smirk tugging at the edge of his mouth.

"It may be a bit easier if I take us out this way 'stead of just charging out the door," Horn deadpanned, his smirk widening as Alan glanced to one side and muttered angrily.

* * *

"Serinity! Serinity!"

"What's wrong, Holly?" the pixie hybrid asked, turning around as Holly came into the small room. When Holly didn't immediately reply, but instead made certain the door was closed tightly behind her, she felt a sudden rush of alarm, and stood up at once, repeating, "Holly? What is it? What's wrong?"

"Serinity, we don't have a lot of time," replied Holly urgently, quickly walking over to join the pixie hybrid. "We just found out that some of the baddies are in town… we have to leave now!"

"What?" Serinity gasped, face turning pale. "Ho-how… Wh-what about…"

"Alan and Captain Horn are going to find the Worms and get them to Horn's ship, and Mocchi and Eboni are already heading over there," explained Holly as quickly as she could, attempting to calm her friend. "We have to get Hare out of here right now…"

Serinity stared at her in shock for a few seconds more, then abruptly stiffened and nodded solemnly in understanding. She briefly gripped Holly's hand tightly, then let go and turned around to face the bed where Hare was lying. The pixie hybrid paused, biting the inside of her lip thoughtfully, verdant eyes wavering as she considered the young rabbit's still unconscious form, then carefully wrapped one of the bedsheets tightly around his body before scooping him into her arms.

Holly watched this silently, understanding why Serinity did this: she couldn't risk Hare shifting around while she carried him, especially if she started flying. While the tawny-furred bunny had yet to awaken after their battle with Moo, it wouldn't hurt to take precautions… and it wasn't like anyone would miss the sheet, anyway…

"So how are we going to get to the captain's ship, Miss Holly?" Serinity asked quietly, cradling her precious burden in both arms.

"We'll… find a way," was the girl's simple reply, as Holly crept over to the window and peeked carefully outside, scanning the streets. When she was certain that no baddies were nearby, she propped open the window and continued, "You go on ahead with Hare, Serinity: just keep out of sight and out of reach, and you should be fine. I'll meet you at the harbor…"

"…Holly," Serinity whispered, verdant eyes shining with emotion.

The two female searchers simply gazed at one another, their silence somehow saying more than any more words could. Neither knew exactly how to express what both could sense at that moment: while it seemed a folly to split up the small team even further, there was no way that Serinity could carry both Hare and Holly at the same time without difficulty. The slender pixie hybrid was simply not strong enough, even if her desire to get both to safety as quickly as possible was. It would be a greater risk for all three… as much as both hated to admit it, this was the best option open to them.

Finally, Serinity closed her eyes and nodded once, sharply, in acknowledgement of what had to be done. Turning to the window, she walked over and tensed every muscle in her body for a split second before launching through the small opening. The moment she was outside, leaf-like wings unfurled and beat silently against the cool air, suspending her above the streets. Keeping just below the rooftops so that it would be difficult for even flying enemies to spot her easily, she turned round and locked gazes briefly with Holly for a few seconds more before turning round and heading toward the docks.

The human maiden hesitated just long enough to watch the pixie hybrid depart, until Serinity swerved out of her view, and silently offered up a prayer for all of her friends to make it safely. She did not think that she could bear it if any of them were hurt… Then, steeling herself, Holly whirled on her heel and darted back out the door, making a dash for the stairs downstairs…

* * *

Somewhere on the streets of the dead city, Mocchi and Eboni were also darting around, playing a twisted version of hide-and-go-seek with their pursuers. So far, the youngsters had not had much luck: while climbing out of the window, the pink monster's foot had slipped on the barrel he had stepped down onto, and grabbed for Eboni's paws. Since she had not been ready, the sudden pull of his extra weight yanked her out and down on top of him, and both had then slammed into the stack of kegs, causing a loud succession of bangs and crashes that had lured the nearby baddies directly to them. While they had managed to untangle themselves from one another and run off before they were actually seen, the alert had nonetheless reached several of the enemy soldiers, causing them to be much more focused in their efforts to find the rebels.

At the moment, both were currently pressing their backs tightly against the wall as they waited for a troop of Jells to slither past them. While Eboni had a slight advantage, her dark fur blending in with the shadows around them, Mocchi's pale pink skin caused him to stand out all too easily, something both young monsters were painfully aware of. As the Jells drew closer, Mocchi tensed, a surge of panic running through him, and decided not to wait to be noticed.

"Cherry… Blossom Blizzard, chi!" he shouted, springing into the air and spinning around as he summoned a cloud of pink petals to hide their escape.

Luck was not with him at that moment. While most of the Jells predictably covered their eyes and staggered backward, several responded to the unseen threat by lashing out blindly in the general direction that the hurricane blasted from. One of the flailing limbs struck Mocchi's hand, and the small monster cried out as it wrapped tightly around his arm and yanked him down to the floor with a dull crash.

"Hey!" Eboni exclaimed, seeing her friend slam into the ground, and she ran to Mocchi's side as the fluttering petals drifted away, leaving both exposed to the enemy soldiers.

"Hey, you there!" one of the Jells shouted, and Eboni whirled to face him, balling her paws into fists. However, instead of attacking, the slime monster continued, "Well, what are you waiting for? Restrain him!"

"…Eh?" Eboni blinked, taken off guard.

"Stupid Evil Hare, didn't you hear what I just said? That little runt is one of the rebels; go ahead and attack him!"

"Must be one of the new trainees," another of the Jells commented, sounding a little less disgusted with her failure to comply.

"Well, what is she waiting for? Are all Evil Hares this dense?" asked a third, eyeing the little black rabbit.

"…Hey, what's wrong with her?"

A shadow had fallen over Eboni's eyes as she listened incredulously to the Jells' argument, and she was beginning to tremble, fists tightening at her sides.

"…Maybe she's nervous; after all, we are her superiors," a haughty voice observed, sounding intensely amused by that possibility.

Scattered laughter followed that comment, and one of the Jells then slithered forward, extending a limb toward the Evil Hare patronizingly as he prompted, "Well, come on, girlie, give us a hand here!"

Eboni's head snapped up violently, and the lead Jell recoiled slightly as he glimpsed for the first time the angry tears brimming in her blazing garnet eyes. Before he could react, she seized his arm with both paws and yanked him forward, throwing him off balance.

"I am NOT on your side!" the young Evil Hare snarled, flipping the stunned baddie back into his fellow soldiers.

The force of her throw sent the entire group flying back into the wall behind them, and the Jells slammed against the brick with a sickening splat, flattening into puddles. As they dribbled down the rough surface, too stunned to pull themselves together right away, Eboni helped Mocchi to his feet.

"Come on," she prompted, tugging on Mocchi's arm and leading him in the direction of the docks. "Let's get outta here 'fore those idiots get back up…"

* * *

Serinity scanned the docks rapidly as she darted through the air, heart pounding violently in her chest. Tightening her grip on the still unconscious Hare a little more, she kept one eye out for possible baddies even as she made her way toward the only ship she could see at the harbor. Her anxious expression became a relieved smile as she spotted Alan waving up at her from the deck, the Worms behind him, and the pixie hybrid quickly swooped in to land directly in front of the boy.

"Thank goodness you are alright," she greeted him, and Alan returned her grin with a short laugh.

"What, you thought I wouldn't make it?" he teased, arching one eyebrow mockingly. However, his cocky mood soon faded, and his face became concerned as he asked, "So Holly's not with you?"

"No… she told me that she would meet us here," the pixie hybrid replied, matching his concern perfectly.

"Heee-eeey!"

Both Alan and Serinity turned around in time to see Mocchi and Eboni clamber up the gangplank onto the deck, waving at them. The dark-furred bunny had been the one who called out to them, and she reached Serinity's side just a few seconds before Mocchi did.

"Great, you made it!" beamed Eboni, looking extremely relieved. Glancing around, she added, "Where's Holly?"

"We don't know… you haven't seen her either, Mocchi?"

"No, chi," came the reply, as the pink monster frowned.

"…Alan, could you hold Hare for a while?" Serinity asked after a short pause, handing the little rabbit to the young man before he could reply. Turning away, she added, "I'll go see if I can find her…"

"Serinity, wait—" was all Alan got out before the pixie hybrid spread her wings and launched off of the deck again.

* * *

Meanwhile, not far away from the decks, Holly ducked into a building in order to avoid another patrol of soldiers.

__

Ohhhhh… I didn't expect there to be THIS many baddies here already, she thought nervously, watching the group of Black Saurians tromp past.

Edging away from the doorway, wavering bronze eyes locked on the opening, she failed to notice that not all of the storage containers behind her were closed. Several of the boxes and barrels had been knocked over, spilling their contents onto the dusty floor, and her heel happened to rest upon a length of pipe behind her. Before she knew what was happening, the girl slipped and tumbled backwards, landing on a pile of boxes with a resounding crash.

"What was that?!?" a gruff voice shouted from somewhere outside.

"It came from over here…"

Holly didn't stick around to see who was coming to investigate: scrambling back to her feet, she took off in the opposite direction of the door she had used to enter, praying that she would find another exit. But none came to her desperately searching eyes, and as the door banged open behind her, she whirled around and dashed up the stairs instead, hoping she hadn't been seen.

But the roaring and banging that echoed behind her told her otherwise. Holly sucked in a frightened gasp and struggled to focus on simply finding a way out instead of the voices shouting behind her, on the pounding of the monsters' feet on the stairs. Ducking into one of the doors that lined the hallway, she closed it behind her and leaned against it, trying to catch her breath as quietly as possible.

__

Okay, don't panic, Holly, just try not to panic, she told herself silently. _There's another way out of here; you just have to find it…_

However, any calming effect this might have had on the maiden was completely lost when a thick clawed hand burst through the wooden door and groped around. With a startled scream, Holly twisted away, wincing as she felt some of her caught clothing tear away. Stumbling backward, the human girl stared in growing terror as the rest of the shattered door was broken and shoved aside, and a sneered Black Saurian forced his way into the room, quickly followed by several of his comrades.

"Thought you could hide from us, didn't you, rebel?" the one in the front snarled, bared fangs glinting in the few rays of sunlight that seeped through the boarded-up windows and cracked walls around them.

Breathing hard, Holly slowly backed away from the baddie until she felt her back brush against a cold, smooth surface. Glancing behind her, she felt her heart sink slightly as she realized that she was standing in front of a window, which was almost completely blocked by thick wooden boards. Seeing her expression, the Black Saurian allowed his smirk to grow wider.

"You want out? Don't worry, puny human, we'll get you out…"

The other warriors snickered in agreement, and Holly quickly swung around to face them. Wavering bronze eyes widened in fear as they reflected the dusky orangish-red glow of charging fireballs, and as the attacks raged toward her, she threw up her arms in a desperate, futile attempt to protect herself as best she could…

Then her world seemed to explode with a rush of intense heat, splintering wood, flying rubble, and the wind that buffeted her falling form mercilessly…

"_Miss Holly!_"

With a harsh jolt, Holly's free-fall came to an abrupt end, and the maiden let out a sharp gasp as a wave of pain coursed through her body. Somehow, she found enough strength to open her blurring chestnut eyes just enough to glimpse the ground so far beneath her, and moaned as she faded into unconsciousness…

* * *

Serinity nearly lost her grip as Holly jerked to a stop, and gasped as she was yanked down roughly by the sudden extra weight. Leaf-like wings straining against the air, the pixie hybrid somehow managed to lift the human girl's motionless body, hooking her arms under Holly's shoulders. Struggling to ignore the pain shooting through her slender frame, she attempted to head towards Horn's ship.

Suddenly, something blazed past her, and Serinity nearly screamed as she instinctively veered away, verdant eyes wincing shut. Before she could react, a second burning sphere nearly clipped her leg, and as she dodged away from that, another blast surged past mere inches away from her face, nearly catching a curl of her hair on fire.

An agonized shriek ripped from Serinity's lungs as her left wing suddenly blasted a wave of pain through her body, caught by another shot. No longer supported by its feeble beating, both rebels tumbled end over end through the air, the pixie hybrid no longer able to even hold onto her friend…

The terrifying rush of wind all around her abruptly gave way to a searing coldness, and Serinity's eyes flashed open to see nothing but a seemingly endless expanse of water all around her. Thankful that her mouth had been closed when she hit, the pixie hybrid glanced around, fighting the lingering pain in her back and shoulder.

Holly was not faring as well, as she quickly saw: the human girl was still knocked out, and a stream of bubbles drifted from her open mouth as she slowly sunk into the shadowy depths. Serinity grabbed the girl's arm and pulled with all of her rapidly fading strength, aiming towards the surface. After a few seconds that seemed far too long for the pixie hybrid, she finally broke through, and flung back her head with a gasp, pulling precious air into her aching lungs.

"Serinity!"

Hearing her name shouted, the half-pixie looked up in time to see Captain Horn's ship looming above her, her friends staring down at her from the deck. Holding on to a coughing, choking Holly with one arm, she waved at them with her free hand, and smiled as she saw the pirate captain dash off to return almost immediately with a net. As the tightly woven mesh fell down and closed around them, the pixie hybrid made no cry of protest, instead focusing on trying to help the suffering human she clung to.

Within minutes, they had been hauled onto the deck, and the others gathered around nervously as Serinity helped the choking Holly to breathe. Spitting out a mouthful of water, Holly sucked in a deep gulp of fresh air, then glanced weakly around at her relieved companions.

"Thanks… is everyone okay?" she asked, her voice a bare whisper.

"Yeah, we're alright," Eboni answered, nodding. "Everyone made it, thanks to you… and Serinity… Serinity?!? Oh man, your wing…?!?"

Immediately, Holly turned to face Serinity, and gasped as she saw what the young bunny was suddenly so alarmed about: the pixie hybrid's left wing was badly scorched, charred, as was her shoulder and back. At the others' horrified stares, Serinity shifted slightly and self-consciously rubbed at her injured shoulder.

"…Don't worry, I'll be able to heal this soon enough," she insisted, a wan smile on her face. "I'm just glad I was able to help you, Holly…"

"Serinity…" murmured Holly, chestnut eyes wavering as she stared at the female monster. After a few moments, she couldn't bear to see her friend's injury anymore, and averted her gaze as she whispered, awkwardly, "Thank you…"

The ship gave a convulsive lurch, and Holly did not need to look up to know that they were leaving the harbor. As they pulled away, Mocchi and Eboni ran over to the railing and waved goodbye to the village… or rather, to the enraged baddies that milled around helplessly on the docks, able only to watch as their quarry escaped them.

"Bye-bye! Too bad you creeps dunno how to swim!" Eboni taunted, then the young Evil Hare pulled on her eyelid and stuck out her tongue at the enraged warriors.

"Bye-bye-chi!" echoed Mocchi, waving both arms in the air and giggling.

Holly allowed herself a soft smile at the pair's enthusiasm, even as she felt her heart sink into the pit of her stomach. Getting to her feet, she glanced around at the others on deck: Serinity was talking to Captain Horn, cradling Hare in her arms again; from what she could pick up, the pixie hybrid was asking the eyeball monster for a room her patient could stay in. Alan was over by his Worms, attempting to calm the huge pair of monsters, which didn't look too thrilled by the prospect of a sea voyage.

Finally, her gaze drifted back in the direction of the port city, already some distance away, and sighed sadly. The sea breeze danced around her, playing with her tangled hair, brushing it away from her solemn face. Bronze eyes shimmered with tears of despair, tears that she didn't dare let fall, not with so many of her friends and allies nearby that might see her break down. No, she would save her tears for later, for the loneliness that would wash over her when she was by herself, to think even more of her missing friends… the other Searchers that were so far away…

__

- Oh Genki… Suezo… everyone… I'm so sorry that we couldn't keep our promise… I… I wanted to wait for you… -

__

- …How are we possibly going to get back together now…? -


	17. Losses

* * * Episode Seventeen: Losses * * * 

* * * Episode Seventeen: Losses * * *

A chill breeze wound through the canyons that sheltered the Wild Pack, whistling past the caves and over the rocky cliffs. While most of the wolves were currently inside, a few remained on patrol, and they shivered as the cold wind ruffled their fur.

However, there were more than wolves outside the safety and warmth of the caves at that moment. Next to one of the higher openings in the canyon walls, a young girl sat on a semi-flat boulder, half-leaning against the rocks behind her. The frigid breeze ruffled her hair and tugged at her clothes, and Coltia shuddered slightly, hugging her folded arms tighter to her chest.

"Jeez… why has it been so cold lately?" she murmured, thinking aloud. Rubbing her hands up and down her arms in an attempt to warm herself, she absently continued, "It's never been this cold at this time of year before…"

__

- …Or maybe it just seems colder… -

Another shiver ran down the young girl's spine, and Coltia sighed, caramel eyes wavering as she gazed at the surrounding landscape. The sun was just beginning to sink out of view, its gradually dimming rays painting the rocky cliffs in warm shades of vibrant orange and dusky yellow, with undertones of other, darker hues. The view was breathtaking, and if confronted with it at any other time, Coltia would have likely started gushing happily about how beautiful it was, how enchanting… and, if any of her crushes happened to be in earshot, how utterly romantic.

For a few moments, a slightly awed smile did flicker on her lips, but the brief cheerful expression failed to touch her shimmering tan eyes, even as they reflected some of the scene's radiance.

It was such a beautiful place… it seemed almost impossible that a few hours earlier, several monsters both good and evil had lost their lives fighting there. The open area miles below her perch, the small clearing in front of the main caves… that was where today's battle had taken place, just like the ones they had been fighting over the past several days.

Coltia closed her eyes in silent pain as memories of the last conflict rushed through her mind: this time, the assault squad sent by Moo had consisted of mainly Zuum purebreds and hybrids, with some scattered groups of other monsters. She couldn't recall every type, but remembered clearly that several Jells, a few Beaclons, and even some Terror Dogs and Calabos had been among the baddies.

She also knew for certain that the enemy group had been larger this time: ever since the attacks had begun over a week ago, the number of opponents in each successive wave had steadily increased. Also, each day that passed, it seemed that it took more and more deaths before the baddies would abruptly withdraw, only to return again some time later with reinforcements.

But the pauses between assaults seemed erratic… they couldn't quite estimate yet how long they would have to gather their wits before the next wave. It ranged wildly, from the matter of a few all too short hours to nearly an entire day at one point. That was why Grey Wolf and the pack kept a constant patrol… all it would take for them to lose everything would be one drop in security, one mistake…

Shuddering again, Coltia quickly pushed the thought of what exactly the consequences would be to the back of her mind. There was so much else to think about… like what had happened earlier that day, and the plans for tomorrow.

The baddies had been driven back again for now, but at a price. Even though she and the other members of the Searchers – Genki, Suezo, Scaler and Grey Wolf – had made it through the battle safely, not all of the wolves had… She didn't know all the names of those who had fallen, or how each had met their fate, didn't even know who exactly all of them were, but that didn't dull the pain of losing her companions and allies any less.

The young girl winced as she recalled briefly how they had gone out and gathered the lost discs after the last of the enemy had fled. Since it was all too likely that they would be using that same area as a battlefield again tomorrow, nobody wanted to risk having the vulnerable saucers that had once been living monsters to remain out in the open, possibly to be crushed during the coming conflict.

Even this precaution, however, had not been able to prevent some of the discs from being broken in the heat of the fight: they could only clear the field afterwards, not during the battle itself. Coltia allowed a few mournful tears to roll down her cheeks as she thought of how some of the wolves had quietly gathered up the small piles of stone shards and sticks that had been formed by such catastrophes and taken them away. She didn't know where they had disposed of them, and didn't want to know, anyway.

The sun continued its slow descent almost unnoticed by the young girl, at least until one of its rays touched something buckled at her side and caused it to flash brightly, causing her to instinctively glance toward the shining object. The sharp blade glittered brightly, silvery edge gleaming as it reflected the light.

Coltia bit the edge of her lip without even realizing it, staring down at the small weapon. So far, she had managed to avoid using the thing, mainly because she had lingered behind instead of lunging into the battle like so many of her companions. They all seemed to understand her hesitance at getting involved directly with the fighting: being human, she lacked the advantage of specialized methods of attack that the monsters possessed.

Not that this same handicap prevented Genki from helping his friends…

A faint blush colored the young girl's cheeks briefly; certainly, it was very impressive how Genki fought alongside his friends and allies, too stubborn and determined to help to back down even when he was at a definite disadvantage. Sometimes, she wished she could be as brave as he was…

Come to think of it, she hadn't seen him using the blade Scaler had given him either… did that mean he was just as uncomfortable with the concept as she was?

Coltia frowned slightly, making a mental note to ask the clear-eyed boy about that later if she got the chance. Not in front of Scaler or the other Searchers, of course: the last thing she wanted was for the green rabbit to get the impression that they were dissatisfied with his gift…

Coltia honestly appreciated the reasons why Scaler had given them each a weapon to defend themselves with. She just was not certain that she could deal with everything that carrying such a thing implied…

__

Well, Holly carries one of these things, and I haven't seen her use it yet, she told herself silently, fingering the dagger's handle gingerly.

__

- I just hope I'll be that lucky… -

The wind whirled around the girl again, and Coltia winced, hugging her arms tighter around her slightly trembling body as she finally opted to retreat into the shelter of the caves. It simply was getting too cold and dark to linger outside any longer, especially when Moo and his followers were still somewhere nearby, plotting their next move…

* * *

Beneath the ever-spreading shadow of a floating crystalline star milled a literal tide of monsters. Thousands upon thousands of troops pushed and shoved their way around the makeshift camp, fighting for space in whatever manner of shelter they could find. Black Dinos and Saurians, Evil Hares and Terror Dogs, Jells and suezos from a myriad of breedings… and this did not even begin to cover all of the types represented in this mere fraction of Moo's army.

From high above, golden and crimson eyes gleamed as they swept over the masses, yet the enemy commander was strangely silent as he studied his followers, not even making soft observations under his breath. This greatly unnerved the only other occupant of the sprawling chamber, and the Weed trembled as he gazed up at his master carefully. Not even the visible side of the titan's face betrayed his thoughts, appearing completely impassive, save for a slightly thoughtful glitter in his golden eye.

The Weed fought back the urge to gulp, not daring to make a sound that might possibly disturb his master's musings.

Silently, he agreed with the tyrant on one point: his new appearance was certainly more intimidating than his previous had been, despite the fact that the purple plant had once thought such a thing impossible. The now half-mask exposed a visage that was both terrifying to behold and yet darkly handsome. The visible side of his face was stern, yet not hideous or uninviting, his narrow golden eye complimenting its crimson twin well. His skin was perfectly smooth and clear, even though it was also so pale in shade that at times it seemed almost white. The only other source of color on the pale skin came from the jagged scar that traced its path between the master's eyes and stretched down over his cheek, but even this did not detract from his dark beauty.

Also, the shattering of the mask exposed other things as well, primarily the true shade of his hair. Previously, it had been completely covered by the pale reddish – no matter what the others whispered, Weed refused to think of his master's mane as being 'pink' – locks that sprouted from under the mask, cascading down his back. Now, the purple plant could clearly see dark blue tresses underneath the pale red mane, ones that extended almost as far as the fur that half-covered them.

All in all, his commander's appearance was extremely impressive: how could anyone, monster or human, feel that they possibly resist Moo's might once they laid eyes upon the towering titan?

__

- Heh, now that's an idea… I'm certain that if Master Moo wanted, he could use his power to send an image of himself to everyone in the world… After all, the master can do ANYTHING… -

The Weed wondered briefly if he should even dare suggesting anything to his great leader, only to be shocked out of his thoughts when he heard the deep, throaty rumble of the titan's voice.

"…So, tell me, Weed… has any more news come from the ones I deployed to find the other rebels?"

"…None, master," the purple plant replied slowly, voice tinged with more than a little regret and fear at having to report this.

A few days before, they had received news from those sent to uncover where the other rebels were hiding, but it hadn't all been good. While they had come across them, hiding in a long-deserted harbor town, the small group had somehow managed to escape over the water, with the aid of another rebel known as 'Horn the Righteous Pirate'. Moo had not been pleased to hear of their failure to destroy the fools, especially since he knew the majority of their fighters were currently with the wolves, trying to protect them…

The Weed flinched as he saw the visible side of Moo's mouth twist downward into a displeased scowl, and cautiously edged a few steps backwards just in case the titan decided to take out his annoyance on something. He didn't move too quickly or too far away, however, for fear of bringing unwanted attention to himself.

"…What incompetents," he heard his commander mutter at length, and flinched at the raw disgust practically oozing from each word.

However, unexpectedly, Moo's frown twisted into a slight smirk, and his tone was almost mocking as he continued, "Ah well. For now, I suppose I will simply have to concentrate on wiping out the rebels in front of me… Don't you agree, Weed?"

"…Y-yes… yes master," the plant monster stammered, not knowing whether Moo truly wished for him to reply or not.

"…Now then…" the titan murmured, more to himself than to his quivering companion, "Who shall be the ones I send after those wolves and their rebel friends next…?"

An eye of dark crimson and an eye of pale gold swept across the milling hordes of monsters so far below them, and the cruel, knowing smirk on Moo's face widened with twisted anticipation of the coming battle…

* * *

__

"Tiger, stop it! Hare, RUN! Stop, Tiger, NO! STOP IT!!!"

__

But despite Genki's enraged pleas, the blue wolf turned demon continued to ruthlessly attack the young rabbit. Hare was not even trying to fight back, simply attempting to block the constant assaults with a dimly flickering, ever weakening crimson barrier that did not appear to be helping in the slightest. Tiger – Moo – completely ignored the fiery aura, lashing out again and again, claws tearing bleeding gashes in the bunny's arms and chest, all the while laughing in pure, cruel enjoyment.

__

"How does it feel to lose, Hare?" the wolf leered, a twisted smirk splitting his scarred, half-hidden face. "You don't know how long I've waited for a chance like this…"

__

"THAT'S NOT TRUE! Tiger, you'd never do anything like this, I know!" screamed Genki, clear brown eyes shimmering with angry tears.

__

He desperately wanted to run forward, to place himself between them, to do something to end the possessed lupine's gruesome assault on Hare, but found he could not even move his legs. The boy was rooted to the spot, able to do little more than scream in denial of what he was witnessing.

__

Finally, Hare could no longer even find the strength to stand anymore. Wavering on his feet, the bunny slowly crumpled backwards, tawny fur and bandana stained with a darker red. As he collapsed, the young rabbit glanced over to where Genki was, and whispered a weak, trembling query that still seemed to boom in the young boy's ears like thunder:

__

"…Why couldn't you help me, Genki…?"

__

It was too much. As Tiger surged forward with a triumphant howl, thick white fangs racing toward his now completely defenseless victim's neck, Genki screwed his tear-filled eyes shut and screamed in pure denial…

* * *

"_NOOOOO!!!_"

The boy's fist flew out and punched uselessly at the empty air, and suddenly Genki's clear brown eyes were open, staring up at the cave's ceiling. A few tears trickled unnoticed down his cheeks, and it took several moments for his ragged breathing to slow down enough, for his mind to fully break away from the nightmare.

Slowly, the raw terror and anger written on his tense face faded as he began to relax, although it did not completely leave his deeply wavering eyes. Running one hand absently through his tangled dark brown bangs, Genki let out a deep sigh, still staring up at the ceiling without really seeing it.

"Hare was right… I could have helped him before," he murmured sadly, recalling how he had stood by and watched in horror when Tiger had stabbed the bunny in the fortress. Gritting his teeth in frustration, hands balling into trembling fists, he rolled over and punched the ground as he shouted, "I should have DONE something!"

But at the time, Genki had been in such shock and disbelief at what was happening… he still wanted to deny what he had witnessed, but already recognized the fact that it was all harsh reality. No matter how unbelievable it seemed, Tiger of the Wind really had become the new host of Moo's soul… and Genki had no way of knowing just what that meant for the blue lupine's own spirit…

"Oh man, Tiger…" he breathed, fighting down the lump rising in his throat as he thought of the scarred wolf. "What did Moo do to you, buddy…?"

__

- …Moo is a creature of death, just as the Phoenix is of life. If Moo has taken over Tiger's body, then he probably destroyed his soul in the process. The Tiger of the Wind you knew is dead… –

Recalling Scaler's explanation, as well as his suggestion that they would have to destroy Tiger's body in order to defeat Moo again, Genki abruptly sat up straight, clear brown eyes shining with denial, determination. No… no matter what anyone else claimed, he refused to stop believing in Tiger. The youth was certain that there was a way to save his friend: they just needed to find it first…

Clenching his hands into tight fists again, Genki closed his eyes again solemnly, picturing the blue wolf before his possession.

"Tiger… I won't give up on you. We'll find a way to get you back… I promise…"

* * *

Meanwhile, in another small cavern similar to the one the youth was in, another member of the rebels was also making an equally solemn, yet markedly different vow. Scaler's dark violet-brown eyes smoldered with hatred as he worked on polishing one of his long swords, shining brighter than the blade he cradled carefully in his paws.

"Moo… I swear by all the gods, I will see your death… even if the price is my own life, I will watch you die…"

* * *

Saffron shuddered again as another cool blast of air ruffled her thick pink and yellow fur, and her sky blue eyes shimmered with emotion as she overlooked the part of the canyon that had transformed into their primary battlefield. Her heart ached to see it that way, as the memories of playing in its seemingly endless expanses and crevices gave way to the newer scenes of bloodshed and death she had only recently witnessed there. Happiness from her childhood crushed under the ruthless heel of war… such was the lives of far too many younger monsters, anymore… still, she felt the ones born after Moo's rising had it far worse than she…

"Saffron?"

Even though she immediately recognized the voice behind her, the female Daton still felt every muscle in her body tense, and she snarled as she whirled to face Toge. Had she not glimpsed the sad expression in the Datonare's wavering yellow eyes right away, Saffron probably would have started berating her childhood friend for disturbing her while on watch. As it was, she forced herself to calm somewhat before trusting herself to make a sufficient reply that did not include biting his head off.

"…What is it, Toge?"

"…Lionson, Brenna, and Carmine…"

Saffron blinked, sky blue eyes softening with understanding at the trio of names that her companion sighed. They belonged to three of the pups that belonged to the same generation that Toge and she came from; Lionson and Brenna were both Datonares, male and female, respectively, while Carmine was a Daton with more red highlights than yellow in his long, flowing mane.

And now all three were dead, killed at the claws and fangs of the baddies they had faced.

She had witnessed Brenna's death: the female Datonare had been ambushed by a damned Black Saurian, which had sprung upon the green lupine from above and bitten down hard upon her neck before she could react. Brenna had not even had time to cry out before she died, no chance of fighting back…

…Just as Saffron herself had been killed by the Dinos, so long ago…

But there was still a chance that Brenna could come back, since her lost disc had been retrieved and hidden away safely in time. From what she had heard from others, Lionson and Carmine had not been so lucky…

Pulling out of her gloomy thoughts, Saffron blinked in mild surprise as she suddenly noticed tears trickling slowly down Toge's muzzle. The Datonare's yellow eyes shone with pure sorrow, and he did not even bother to hide his despair at losing his childhood friends and playmates in such a horrible manner. He missed them terribly, and stoicism be damned, he was not going to keep himself from weeping at their deaths…

"…Toge…" Shaking her head slowly, Saffron quietly stated, "I'll go ahead and take the next watch for you. You're in no condition to replace me…"

"…No… No, I can do it," came the stubborn, yet broken reply, and Toge quickly blinked his eyes several times to try and clear them.

"………Fine then. But I am not going to leave you alone out here, either."

No complaint answered this declaration, and Saffron would not have listened had there been one, at any rate. Silently, she walked alongside the male Datonare as he started his patrol, blue eyes scanning for whatever yellow eyes fogged with tears might not catch…

* * *

Morning broke over the canyons. And with its first rays came the next wave of Moo's army.

At the first of the scouts sent up the alarm howl, Genki's clear brown eyes snapped open at once, and the youth scrambled to pull his skates on as he half-hopped, half-sprinted for the cave's opening. Now he was glad that he had fallen asleep still wearing his clothing: he didn't want to have to slow down any more than he already was.

Coltia and Suezo were waiting for him at the main entrance, the eyeball monster biting the inside of his lip as he kept glancing outside at the fight already underway. Genki didn't even bother to ask where Scaler and Grey Wolf were as he clambered up to the pair: it was all too obvious. Those two were usually the first of the Searchers to get to the battlefield anyway…

Coltia's caramel eyes lit up with relief, delight and barely-veiled concern as she spotted him making his way up to them, and waved as he approached. Their gazes locked for a few fleeting moments as Genki paused briefly in the entrance, about to charge head-first into the conflict as always.

"Be careful," she said, almost automatically.

Genki just grinned widely and winked at the girl, his typical response. Then, glancing over at Suezo, he nodded at the eyeball monster, who returned the gesture, green-gold pupil shimmering with both fear and determination.

"Down with Moo, goodies rule!" shouted the boy at the top of his lungs, as if announcing his arrival on the battlefield – which, in a sense, he was.

Somewhere in the chaos, a green rabbit wearing a long, flowing leather cloak and wielding steel in both paws allowed a slight smirk to crease his lips for a heartbeat as the shout reached his perked, ever-alert ears. Similarly, a silver-furred lupine monster echoed the boy's cry with a deep-throated howl even as he unleashed an electric blast on his closest adversary, as did several other pack members.

Coltia added her voice to the cheer as well, despite the fact that her throat was slightly constricted from a deepening sense of fear at that moment. Behind her, a few of the younger wolves, the cubs that were too inexperienced and untrained to battle, milled around anxiously, and some let out howls and yaps of agreement as well.

Suezo hesitated beside the girl, not quite willing to throw himself into the conflict as Genki had. If it looked as though the defenders were beginning to weaken, then he might decide to help out… or he might decide to stay back and help them fall back. It just depended on what he felt was best… Even his reluctance to get involved directly, however, did not keep him from echoing the boy's shout.

* * *

Not far away, from the safety of one of the observation decks of his floating fortress, Moo listened to the commotion and simply smiled, cruel eyes glittering with anticipation.

* * *

Dodge and slash. Parry and thrust. Weave, then feint, create the opening. Stab, then dodge away from the next ones. Slash, slash, stab…

Something was wrong.

Scaler couldn't quite put a finger on why he felt that way yet. It certainly was not like he was doing badly in the fight, rather, the exact opposite. The enemy soldiers were falling under his blades as was usual… Falling, either by dropping back or dropping dead. The battle was going easily…

Much too easily.

He didn't understand it. They were doing so well, driving the enemy further and further back, pressing them further away from the caves…

The enemy lines were falling too quickly for his comfort.

He caught a glimpse of Genki's face as the boy fought his way up beside the scaled hare: flushed from effort, but practically beaming as well, radiant, triumphant grin… Assured of victory.

"Never assume," muttered Scaler under his breath, violet-brown eyes smoldering.

Genki appeared to overhear the quiet remark: he glanced over at the cloaked rabbit with clear brown eyes shining, confusion dampening some of his enthusiasm.

"Huh?"

If Genki had any inclination to inquire further into Scaler's remark, however, he lost his chance as a Black Saurian leapt toward him, jaws gaping wide. Both youth and lapine darted to separate sides as the dark-scaled dinosaur landed between them, and one of the rabbit's daggers found its resting place in the saurian's neck.

Again, the victory seemed too quick… too easy. Just as it had been too easy for them to force the troops backward, constantly advancing…

__

- …Chasing after them. –

Violet-brown eyes widened just a fraction, and dispatching the group of Jells currently surrounding him with a single sweep of one of his swords, Scaler whirled around to face back toward the main entrances to the caverns…

…That were too far behind their main fighting force for his comfort.

"Kuso," swore the rabbit, realizing too late the tyrant's plan.

__

- He draws the main defenders away from the primary way into the caves, and then… -

Even as new comprehension and understanding slammed into him, he could see a few black forms streaking down the walls of the canyon near the caves. They were too large and bulky to belong to wolves…

Hissing another profanity under his breath, the scaled hare started forcing his way back toward the caves through the battle, using his blades to slice through any of the enemy soldiers who got in his way. Dimly, he was aware of some of the other defenders crying out as they, too, recognized the danger, but sensed that they were far, far too late…

* * *

Suezo was also currently engaged in a bout of vicious mental profanity at that instant, although a great deal of it was aimed toward himself in a very unflattering manner. Wrapped up in watching the conflict as it was forced away from where he stood, he failed to notice the shadowy forms materializing on the ridges right over his head. His eyesight was much more developed than any other breed of monsters, but not even he could hope to notice something not in his current line of vision.

Only a bare sliver of luck had saved him: descending the canyon walls, one of the baddies had slipped slightly, causing a few dislodged pebbles to clatter to the ground nearby. Glancing over at the noise, Suezo's eye had widened as he traced another falling set of tiny rocks up to its source.

"COLTTTTTTTT!!!"

Screaming at the top of his lungs, he whirled and barreled back into the caverns, and as Coltia and the younger wolves had swung to stare at him, startled, the first of the baddies dropped onto the ledge, and now…

An eye that could have been a mirror of his own save for the fact that it was blood-red and narrowed with hatred and bloodlust materialized inches before his face, and Suezo stopped dead in his tracks, gasping with shock.

It was another eyeball monster, a Red Eye. Suezo recognized the breed at almost the exact same moment that he noticed the symbol fastened on its collar.

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- …Great… that explains how they got up there without anyone noticing in the first place… wish I could control my teleporting a little better… -

Even as he thought this, however, the yellow eyeball monster was already reacting to the baddie before him, managing to dodge away as it lunged at him with its mouth gaping wide. As it recovered from its failed bite attempt and whirled to face him again, Suezo felt something trickle down the back of his tail: sweat, he assumed…

"Suezo!" shouted Coltia, and he risked a quick glance over at the girl.

She was standing some distance away with several of the wolf cubs beside her: most of the pups had wisely scattered, and hopefully were hiding where the baddies could not find them right now…

His green-gold pupil dilated slightly as he spotted a hulking shadow behind her, and shouted, "Colt, watch–"

The rest of his warning was cut off as a thick tongue slammed into his tail, knocking him off balance, and as he fell, Suezo heard Coltia let out a shriek…

* * *

"KYAAA!" Coltia screamed as she felt something sharp tear across the back of her tunic, even as she instinctively threw herself to the ground.

Dimly, she heard the pups snarl and cry out as she stumbled, and grunted as she ended up falling nearly directly on top of one of them, a little Datonare that didn't quite manage to scramble completely out of her way in time. Feeling his semi-soft fur pressed against her cheek, Coltia quickly forced herself to ignore the pain surging through her back and push herself back up.

"You okay?" the pup whimpered, staring up at her with huge yellow eyes.

"…Just… fine," Coltia lied, attempting a weak grin even as she gritted her teeth at the agony in her back.

Then the yelps of the other pups and Suezo's pained scream rang out all too clearly in her ears, and the girl snapped her head back up to take in the nightmarish scene playing out all around her.

It was as if time slowed to a crawl at that instant, enabling her widened, wavering tan eyes to take in every detail: the enemy eyeball monster had taken full advantage of Suezo's distraction, and was currently beating him with its dark tail, striking him again and again. Suezo was struggling to block as many of the relentless blows as he could, but was failing miserably, gaining several bruises on his body with each failure. She could also glimpse a thin trickle of blood coming from his mouth: was his lip broken? Or had one of his teeth been knocked loose…?

The other three wolf cubs that had stayed with her were all suffering too, whining and whimpering where they had been knocked or tossed to the hard ground. One, a boy Daton whose name she wasn't quite certain of was pinned under the clawed foot of her assailant: a towering Black Dino who leered down at the horrified girl. The baddie's cocky sneer exposed huge, jagged white teeth, and she flinched backward, mind reeling.

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- I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die I'm gonna die… -

Beneath her crouched, trembling form, the little Datonare let out an almost inaudible growl, one she probably would not have heard had she not been so close to him.

"Leave my friends alone!" he snarled, and abruptly lunged at the Black Dino.

The dark-scaled saurian's smirk grew wider: there was absolutely nothing the puppy could possibly do to defend his siblings and friends. All the cub was doing was sealing his own fate…

Answering the young wolf's snarl with a roar of his own, the Black Dino lunged forward to meet him, jaws gaping wide, ready to crush his next victim…

And at that exact instant, something deep inside Coltia's heart snapped.

Somehow, her previously frozen fingers found themselves wrapping around the hilt of the dagger Scaler had given her, the cloaked hare's gift that she had felt such conflicting feelings about.

"_NOOOOO!_"

A blur of motion, one the girl felt oddly detached from, as she did for the pup's sake what she may not have been able to do for herself.

The Black Dino's crimson eyes went wide for an instant, losing their mocking gleam, then fogged over as his glowing, shifting body tumbled to the ground. Its transformation was finished in only a few seconds.

And Coltia suddenly found herself staring down at a single lost disc, at the newly bloodstained dagger gripped tightly in both her hands.

The Red Eye paused in his ruthless assault on Suezo long enough to stare over at the girl in utter disbelief, unable to grasp right away the fact that he had just witnessed the seemingly helpless human's murder of his comrade.

It was the last thought that flashed through his mind.

Just as the baddie had taken advantage of his previous distraction, so now did Suezo take advantage of the Red Eye's shock to leap up and counterattack. Driven by pain and fear, he used the first attack he could think of, and teeth ripped into black flesh. The Red Eye couldn't even scream as it felt the last of its life slip away, and as its body shrank and twisted into a lost disc, Suezo blinked in shock.

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- I just killed another suezo… like me… -

A sharp wave of pain that wasn't caused by any of his physical injuries ripped through the eyeball monster. Even though he was smart enough to realize that the baddie would probably have killed him if given the chance… nearly had managed to beat him to death… he had never… had to fight another eyeball monster before…

Coltia was completely oblivious to the fact that Suezo had defeated his opponent as well: staring at the lost disc as if hypnotized, as well as the dagger she still gripped tightly in both trembling hands. A few droplets of crimson blood trickled down the otherwise silver blade and dripped onto her arm, and suddenly she released it, fingers going limp as if losing all feeling all of a sudden. The blade clattered to a rest at the roots of the lost disc, and as Coltia continued to stare blankly at it, tears slowly sprang to her widened, wavering tan eyes.

"…You okay?" the young Datonare who had attacked the Black Dino, the one who had driven her to murder the dark-scaled baddie, whimpered, gazing up at the girl with fear-filled yellow eyes.

The other three cubs whimpered as well, nuzzling her hands, which had fallen limp at her sides. After a few moments, Coltia sunk to her knees and began to sob brokenly, pulling the young wolves closer to her shaking body to try and take some sort of comfort from their presence.

They were safe. These young ones were alive, because she had fought to protect them.

But why didn't that knowledge give her more comfort than it did…?

* * *

"Colt…! Suezo…! Anybody! Answer me!" Genki shouted as he ran through the twisting and turning passageways blindly.

Once the true purpose behind the easily repelled assault had dawned on the boy, he and most of the other defenders had fought their way back to the caves. Their path had been hard-won, yet they had made it, and currently were desperately searching their home for any signs of life.

Most of the pups had gotten to safety, it appeared… most of them. There were a few painfully small lost discs scattered here and there in the tunnels, but thankfully there only appeared to be a handful. Tigers were known for their speed, and their children were often no exception…

…But there had been no sign of either Suezo or Coltia yet. They had managed to round up and destroy most, if not all of the raiders so far, but the fact that nobody had located either the human girl or the yellow eyeball monster was starting to seriously worry Genki…

"…COLT! SUEZO!"

Rounding a corner, Genki skidded to a halt, breathing hard. Clear brown eyes widened first in surprise, then a mixture of relief and frustration as he spotted Scaler standing in front of him, silently regarding a crouching Coltia surrounding by four tiger cubs and Suezo. Stomping up to the cloaked rabbit's side, Genki didn't know whether he should be grateful that his friends were alright or throttle Scaler for not calling out that he had located them.

"Scaler, why–"

His furious demand was silenced as Scaler abruptly covered the boy's mouth with his paw, gently yet firmly. Genki's eyes flashed with anger, and he pulled away at once, on the verge of screaming at the scaled hare.

That was when he heard the hushed weeping coming from the direction of his other friends. Startled, Genki stared back over at them, and his eyes widened as they took in details that he hadn't noted before: the pair of lost discs in the room, one in front of Coltia, the other near Suezo. The bruises that marred the eyeball monster's yellow skin, the trace of blood on his slightly swollen lip. The bloodstained blade lying between the girl and her saucer stone…

A gasp caught in the boy's throat, and he swiftly glanced over at Scaler, who merely inclined his head gently in a slight nod. The cloaked rabbit's violet-brown eyes were unreadable as he gazed silently at the two other Searchers, his face expressionless, impassive.

Finally, after a few moments, he closed his eyes and turned away from the scene, giving Genki a slight shove as he started toward the exit. Genki hesitated briefly, then sadly followed along. It was possible that a few baddies might still be somewhere in the caverns, and they needed to make certain they got rid of them all before anything else horrible could happen. There was nothing they could do here…

* * *

"…Sir…?"

A pair of mismatched eyes flashed open and turned their piercing gaze toward the purple plant, and the Weed quivered at his master's sudden attention.

"…Yes…?" came the quiet, eerily composed reply.

The Weed gulped, his trembling becoming more and more apparent as he stumbled over the words of his message.

"…We… we've lost all contact with the strike force we sent into the wolves' den, master… Um… w-we believe that they may have all b-been…"

"Killed."

"…Y-yes, M-Master M-Moo…"

The titan was silent for a time, causing the plant monster's trembling to worsen with each second that dragged past. Suddenly, the visible side of Moo's face quirked, and a cold smirk twisted the corner of his thin mouth upward while the Weed stared at him in shock.

"…Well, it doesn't matter. I'm certain they managed to complete their mission."

"…M-mission…?"

"Now the wolves have no reason to believe themselves invincible. Their precious 'den', the one place where they thought themselves to be safe, has been violated… and by now, they must surely be realizing how I'm simply toying with them…"

"…T-toying with…?"

A wave of nausea swept over the purple plant as he digested the meaning of those calm words. His master was only… playing with the wolves… It made sense, since there was no possible way that anyone or anything could stand up against Master Moo, but… in toying with these wolves… he had caused the deaths of so many fine, loyal monsters, sacrificed so many warriors…

…And it was all… part of some sort of sick 'game' he was playing with his victims…?

…It didn't matter. Whatever the master wished to do, there was nothing to stop him from doing it. There was no power in this world that could match, that could even touch, the magnificent Master Moo…

…But suddenly, for just a fleeting instant, watching his leader break into laughter at the thought of what the tortured wolves were probably feeling at this moment, the Weed found himself wishing that there was…


	18. Suffering Disturbing Dreams

* * * Episode Eighteen: Suffering – Disturbing Dreams * * *

The midmorning sun's golden rays beat down upon the seemingly endless ocean, causing the gently billowing waves to shimmer and shine as they carried the ship of Horn the Righteous Pirate forward. White sails filled with cool sea breeze, taking the craft further down its chosen course, cooperating with the captain's desire for the time being, though he knew he had to be ready for things to change at a moment's notice. The sea was a fickle mistress, and just when one thought everything was perfect, something could occur to completely turn everything upside down.

Of course, the eyeball monster knew life was like that in general. To be certain, there were many times that things happened that he had never expected…

"Wow, Mocchi, look at that…!"

Glancing over in the direction of the awed exclamation, the blue eyeball monster smirked to himself as he spotted a young Evil Hare and a pink monster leaning against the railing, gazing out at the open sea with wide, appreciative eyes. Both children were obviously enjoying themselves, despite the situation that had led to their arrival on his craft in the first place…

It truly was strange how things went sometimes. Originally, when he and his crew had decided to stop at that port several days before, the only thing they had been planning to pick up was several drinks for themselves, and possibly add to their food stocks. While that concept had fallen through – damn Moo and his soldiers anyway, wiping out towns like that – they had ended up with cargo of a very different and much more precious type… mainly, several members of the rebel team known as the Courageous Seven.

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- …Well, they HAD been the Courageous Seven, but now, maybe they should start considering a new name, considering… -

Horn's jaden eye narrowed slightly as he mentally reviewed all that Holly had told him about what was happening, what had gone on since the time he had last seen the small rebel group. There was so much to take in… Moo's defeat and apparent revival, Golem and Tiger of the Wind's absence from the team, the newer members… not to mention the changes some of the original members had gone through…

He shook his head, unable to take it all in at once, visibly frustrated with this fact. It wasn't as if Horn believed the world revolved around him or anything, and that things shouldn't change when he wasn't there to witness it, but… it was very annoying to feel so far behind everyone else. He couldn't shake the feeling that he and his crew members were being left out of something major…

Horn couldn't shake the feeling that Holly wasn't being entirely honest with him, either, and that sincerely bothered him. The girl had never struck him as somebody who would be capable of lying, of being dishonest with her friends about anything… so why did he get the feeling that she and the other Searchers were keeping something important from him, something vital…?

He quickly shook his head, dismissing the notion.

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- Hell, I'm just upset 'cause I never woulda pegged that rabbit to be a kid, let alone… -

Surveying the deck irritably, the captain paused as his gaze fell upon a pair of slender figures standing together near another section of railing. One side of his mouth quirked in an ironic smile: normally, the sight of two very lovely females on his ship would have delighted the somewhat lecherous eyeball monster, but… not under the sort of circumstances that had brought this pair aboard.

Still, he hopped over to greet the pair, happy to see them at least out and about on the ship's deck.

"Arr, ladies, good to see ya!" he called, grinning broadly. "I take it your wing is mending well, Miss Serinity…?"

"Oh yes, it's fine, thank you," replied the pixie hybrid politely.

Absently, however, Serinity rubbed her left shoulder as she spoke, and her injured wing flexed slightly. Both Holly and Captain Horn glanced at her in concern: while she had made a makeshift cast and set her wounded wing herself, and it appeared to be healing normally, neither knew enough about pixies to be absolutely certain. If it ended up healing incorrectly or anything, it was all too possible that the fragile hybrid would never be about to fly again… something neither wanted to have to deal with.

"Well, that's all well and good then," Captain Horn commented after a few moments, forcing a smile. Then, carefully eyeing both females for their reaction, he added, "Is the other one…?"

He trailed off, not knowing exactly how to phrase his query, but the basic line of his thoughts was not lost on either girl. Serinity quickly glanced away, soft green eyes wavering with emotion, and Horn sighed silently.

"…He's…doing better," Holly offered quietly after a pause, then averted her gaze out towards the ocean quickly.

Horn sighed and followed her gaze, not really knowing what else he could say to them. After a few moments of awkward silence, Serinity abruptly stopped leaning against the railing, turned and began to walk away, and both human and eyeball monster glanced over at her.

"Please excuse me," she whispered, carefully avoiding their eyes.

But even her averted gaze was not enough to mask the tears that glimmered briefly in her shining eyes as she briskly walked away, towards the inner deck. Horn watched her retreating figure and shook his head, not even bothering to disguise the sympathy glittering in his dark green pupil.

"Such a delicate girl… it's a shame, really," he muttered.

"Yes, you're right," Holly chimed in, bronze eyes filled with understanding as she looked down at her companion. "I'm really starting to worry about her… if she keeps pushing herself like this, she'll never survive this trip…"

She paused, then quietly excused herself and walked off in the same direction that Serinity had retreated. Horn let out a slightly embarrassed sigh, glad that Holly had misinterpreted his comment. Actually, he had been referring to the fact that the pixie hybrid was already attached to Golem emotionally: she had adapted to life at sea well, and several of his men were taking quite a shine to the slender maiden. If he hadn't found out from the other Searchers how she had joined them mainly to find her childhood friend, he might have considered asking her to stay on board once they found a safe harbor…

…But, such was life. She seemed attached enough to the stone giant as it was, and the last thing he wanted to do was try and make her stay. He'd already tried asking Holly to stay long ago, and that hadn't worked out at all…

A giggle caught his attention, and Captain Horn glanced over to see Mocchi and Eboni chasing one another around the deck. The pair nearly managed to knock him over as they ran past, the black rabbit just a few inches ahead of the shouting pink monster, yet instead of getting upset with the youngsters he simply smiled.

__

I'm getting soft, he scolded himself mentally, even as his pleased grin remained. _Shoulda made these kids work for their passage, just like I did the first time I helped these rebels out…_

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- …But damn, it feels great to just see a couple of kids actin' like there's nothin' wrong with the world… like Moo hasn't come back, and everythin' perfectly fine… No war or nothin'… -

He paused, his pleased grin briefly twisting into a somewhat smug smirk.

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- …Besides, it's not like I let ALL the rebels get off free… -

As if on cue, a very upset-looking Alan trudged into view, lugging an overflowing bucket of water behind him and a soggy mop over his shoulder. Behind him, the two Worms slithered after their trainer in sulky silence, several cleaning rags strapped to their bulky bodies. Captain Horn turned to face them and grinned, an almost cruel glint in his narrowed jaden eye.

"Aye, work faster thar, me hearties!"

If looks could kill, the smoldering glare the blue-gray haired fighter aimed in the blue eyeball monster's direction would have instantly transformed him into a lost disc. As it was, Horn simply grinned all the wider at the anger flaring in the boy's cobalt eyes, and laughed loudly.

"…If I knew exactly how, I'd ram this damn broom so far up your tail…" muttered Alan under his breath.

The pair of Worms just glanced at one another and sweatdropped in perfect unison.

* * *

Serinity stood staring silently at the closed door before her for a few moments, soft green eyes shimmering with near tears. Taking a deep breath to compose herself, she eased the door open and quietly entered the small room, closing it behind her.

A soft moan came from one corner of the chamber, and Serinity whirled to face it, shock and hope flickering for an instant in her widened eyes. However, it faded just as quickly, and she sighed sadly as she crossed the floor and sat down in a chair next to a makeshift bed. Reaching down, she gently gripped Hare's unresponsive paw in both hands briefly.

The tawny-furred bunny's eyes remained shut, and while his fingers seemed to tighten slightly around her own for a heartbeat, that return grip loosened all too quickly.

Serinity silently withdrew her hands back into her lap, half-closing her wavering verdant eyes as she bowed her head. The pixie hybrid understood that she had done all she could for the younger monster: the gashes in his chest had long since sealed away, thanks to both the Phoenix's Tear and her own healing ability, without even a mark to show where they had once been.

But he still had not awakened since the attack… and she had no idea how to pull anyone out of a coma… if it was even that…

Occasionally, the young rabbit would abruptly start speaking aloud, or cry out, reacting to something no one else could see or hear. Each time this happened, Serinity would listen intently, hoping to catch some hint of what exactly was going on… some clue of what she might be able to do to help him.

So far, however, she hadn't been able to find out anything of the sort. Usually, when Hare started crying out, she could pick out names – often he cried out for Tiger, although what he was yelling at the blue wolf for was anyone's guess – and sometimes warnings, though she wasn't certain who they were always for.

But despite this, Serinity still had no way of waking up the young bunny. And she was seriously beginning to worry that he might never be able to break free of whatever nightmare held him in its sway…

Orange-red bangs falling over and shadowing her wavering green eyes, Serinity averted her gaze and began to tremble slightly, biting her lip in an attempt to mute her weeping. A few stray tears trickled down her pale cheeks as the pixie hybrid cried herself into a fitful, restless slumber, one she knew she might have to awaken from at a moment's notice should anything go wrong…

* * *

__

Wavering bright brown eyes raked the seemingly endless shadows surrounding him, darkness broken only by the flickering crimson light at his neck. Normally, he would have attempted to keep the Phoenix's Tear covered by his bandana so its constant glow would not give him away, but right now, he desperately needed its light.

__

Hare hugged his knees tighter to his chest and shuddered. All he wanted was a way out of this nightmare he had been thrown into, but didn't know how. He'd tried again and again to wake up, break free, but so far, all his efforts had been futile…

__

…Was his body still healing from what had happened…? From when Tiger had…

__

Wincing, Hare fought back the waves of horrible memories and impressions that washed over him: the sudden, searing pain that had erupted in his chest, a bitter coldness invading his body, the cruel, soulless glitter of golden eyes leering down at him…

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…A tortured whisper from a lost soul…

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- He… help me… Get… get him away… make his voice go away… -

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…How could it all have changed so quickly? Tiger had been there… he had spoken to him, actually asked for Hare's help… and then, seemingly in the next instant, the possessed wolf had been smirking down at him after he…

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* …It's my fault. *

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* …Tiger… I felt you start to come back, but then you slipped away again… *

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* …I couldn't save you… *

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* …Tiger… I'm so sorry… *

__

Shivering, Hare hugged his legs tighter as he attempted to roll into a little ball for warmth. The constant heat at his chest, the flaming aura given off by his pendant, was the only source of light or warmth in this dark, cold void. It was the only thing constant in this nightmare world…

__

…How many different visions had he suffered from? How much time had passed?

__

Hare had lost count of how many times the void had shifted, giving way to some new nightmare, another vision that he had to try and understand. Some he was more certain of then others… and he knew they had to be warnings, but how was he supposed to figure out what they meant? What was he supposed to do…?

__

…And how could he possibly even act to prevent some of these horrible visions if he couldn't even awaken from them…?

__

Already, the shadows surrounding his balled-up figure seemed to shift ever so slightly, to give way to some new setting. Hare shut his wavering brown eyes tightly, fighting down the urge to sob aloud, the tears that threatened to spill down his cheeks.

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* …I just want… I want out… *

* * *

The door creaked as a small pink hand carefully eased it open, its owner not wanting to disturb anyone. A pair of wide, wavering eyes peered into the chamber, sweeping over its occupants, and Mocchi let out a soft sigh of relief as he saw that both of the monsters inside were still asleep. Well, at least, he was happy that Serinity was finally getting some rest, considering how hard the pixie hybrid had been pushing herself, but…

Mocchi pushed the doorway open just enough to allow him to slip inside, then paused and glanced back at his companion. Eboni hesitated a few seconds, shimmering scarlet eyes nervously scanning the hallway, then joined him in the room, easing the door shut behind her. Leaning against the hard wooden frame, the black bunny watched silently as Mocchi quietly walked over to the bed and kneeled beside it.

Mocchi reached out and gripped one of Hare's paws tightly with both hands, wavering eyes locked on the tawny-furred rabbit's face, hoping that his friend would react. If Hare would just open his eyes, even for a few seconds…

"…Hare, chi? …Get up, chi…"

Eboni bit the inside of her lip at the sound of Mocchi's soft plea, her messy gray bangs falling over and shading part of her face. Garnet eyes flashed with a mixture of sympathy and fear for her friends and anger at the one who had caused all of this. Moo… she hated him even worse now…

On the bed, the tawny-furred bunny let out a soft whimper, and his paw tightened slightly around Mocchi's hand. The pink monster returned the comforting grip, watching sadly as his friend continued to writhe in the grip of some new vision…

* * *

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Hare finally decided to face whatever new nightmare he had been thrown into: simply curling into a ball and shutting out the world would never help, as much as he felt like doing so.

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Forcing his wavering brown eyes open, the tawny-furred rabbit slowly got to his feet, staring around in confusion. As far as he could see, the entire world had been plunged into sullen blue shades, save for his own body. The Phoenix's Tear bathed Hare with a faint crimson aura, tinting his fur red and causing him to stand out even more than he already had been.

__

As he continued to look around, more details began to emerge from the sapphire-hued shadows: pale ice blue sands shifting beneath his feet. Deep cobalt skies so dark as to be almost black stretching out in all directions. Shimmering waves of azure water crashing against the beach before him.

__

While the exact location was unfamiliar to the young bunny, Hare could easily recognize the fact that he stood upon the shoreline of some strange beach. However, he could not glimpse a sun anywhere in the dark blue skies, nor could he see any sign of stars or the moon. The horizon was completely clear and blank, without a single source of light other than the furiously blazing pendant round his neck.

__

A shiver coursed through his small body as a cold wind swept past him, ruffling his fur and seemingly biting straight into his heart with countless tiny daggers of ice. Almost reflexively, Hare closed his eyes as he shuddered, folding his arms against his body for warmth.

__

When he opened his eyes again, he was no longer alone on the beach.

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Hare gasped in surprise, startled by the new arrival. Even as the logical part of his mind reminded him that this was simply a dream, a vision where anything could happen, the young bunny reached out one trembling hand imploringly toward the figure, wishing fervently that this was somehow more than a mere hallucination.

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"…Gol…Golem…"

* * *

"…Gol…Golem…"

The soft whisper passed through the comatose Hare's lips as little more than a weak murmur, yet both Mocchi and Eboni heard it clearly. Both the pink monster and black rabbit glanced at one another in wide-eyed shock, then Mocchi felt Hare's paw tighten its grip ever so slightly on his hand. Clutching his friend's hand tightly in return, he stared at the tawny-furred bunny hopefully.

"…Hare-chi?"

Serinity had obviously overheard the weak whisper as well, for the pixie hybrid was now fully awake once more. Verdant eyes wavering with emotion, she found herself gripping Mocchi's shoulders instead of trying to take Hare's paw as well, and fought back the tears that threatened to come at the sound of her lost childhood friend's name.

* * *

__

"…Golem…" Hare repeated the stone giant's name uncertainly, taking a hesitant step forward.

__

A gentle smile touched the towering monster's lips, and gray eyes shimmered as they briefly reflected the light from the Phoenix's Tear. Hare relaxed visibly as he recognized the kindness in Golem's eyes. Tiger of the Wind's eyes, he remembered, had been filled with terrible cruelty, an alien hatred, but the young bunny could see no trace of that in the stone monster's compassionate face.

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* …Still, this is only a dream. I can't get my hopes up too much… *

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* …But… …all the same… …I'm happy to see Golem safe… *

__

Gradually, Hare managed a shaky half-smile in return, brown eyes shining with genuine happiness at seeing his old friend again despite their dubious surroundings.

__

"…Golem… I…" he started falteringly; there was so much to tell his lost friend that Hare wasn't certain where to begin.

__

It did not matter, at any rate.

__

The blue tint dominating the strange beach seemed to darken just slightly for an instant, and Hare felt a cold chill race down his spine. Golem appeared to sense the abrupt change as well, for while the stone giant continued to smile, a hint of sudden sadness flickered briefly in his eyes.

__

Then, much to Hare's shock, Golem turned and began to walk slowly away from where the other Searcher stood. This fact in itself might not have stunned the young bunny as badly had it not been for the exact direction in which he headed…

__

"Golem! Wait! Where are you going?" he cried desperately, wanting to run after his friend but suddenly finding himself rooted to the spot.

__

Golem's only response was to glance back at the tawny-furred rabbit, the same sorrowful smile on his face, and continue to walk toward the waiting ocean.

__

The pale blue waves lapped against the azure sands greedily, as if reaching out toward the approaching giant, eager to take him into their cold liquid embrace.

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"Golem! Stop!"

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Heart pounding wildly in his aching chest, Hare attempted to race after his friend, only to discover that he could not even take a single step forward. Glancing down, he gasped as he spotted the reason: the sand directly beneath him had transformed into a slimy puddle, engulfing his feet entirely.

__

Even as he struggled to free himself, pale blue tendrils erupted from the now semi-liquid ground beneath him and wrapped themselves round his resisting body. A terrified scream ripped from Hare's lungs as he thrashed wildly, and crimson fire blazed around his paws as he lashed out at the tentacles uselessly.

__

Through a haze of fear, part of Hare recognized something inherently familiar about the situation, and as one of the vines snared his arm and twisted it painfully behind his back, the bunny let out a startled gasp of realization.

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* This… this is just like when the Ice Jells captured me! *

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* …So… this is… a Jell monster I'm fighting?!? *

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Twisting around in a desperate attempt to loosen the stubborn grasp of the gel ropes, Hare's wavering brown eyes widened as he caught a glimpse of Golem again. The stone giant was now standing up to his waist in the ocean, and slowly walking further into its waiting depths.

__

"Golem! Golem!!!"

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The stone giant looked back at the screaming bunny again, the same sad, almost resigned smile on his face. A deep sorrow glimmered in his soft gray eyes, yet he made no move to escape the water, instead continuing slowly, inexorably into its grasp. The cobalt pool seemed to embrace him, pulling him further along, deeper and deeper, waves folding around his unresisting stone body, hiding him from the horrified bunny's view.

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"Golem! Don't go! Please don't go!" begged Hare futilely, his own struggles lessening as he watched his friend continue toward what was surely his doom. But the other Searcher paid him no mind, and as Golem's figure finally vanished completely beneath the sapphire waves, Hare squeezed his tear-filled eyes shut and screamed at the top of his lungs, "GOLEM!!!"

* * *

"Hare!" Eboni screamed, stumbling over to the bed.

The tawny-furred rabbit was tossing and thrashing around, crying and moaning, tears trickling out of his closed eyes. The moment he had started, Serinity and Mocchi had immediately responded, struggling to try and keep him from hurting himself while in the throes of his nightmare. The pixie hybrid's hands glowed with a pale green aura as she somehow managed to keep hold of Hare's wrists, holding him at least somewhat in place.

Mocchi, meanwhile, had not released his hold on Hare's paw. Instead, the pink child monster was tightening his grip, wavering eyes locked on the bunny's pained face as he cried reassurances to his friend. Serinity wasn't entirely certain that it was even possible for Hare to even hear their voices right now, but she did not make any attempt to dissuade Mocchi from his efforts.

"Hare, chi, it's okay-chi! It's okay!"

Not knowing what else she could do to help, Eboni decided to kneel beside Mocchi and try holding on to Hare's paw as well. Garnet eyes shimmering with worry, she added her voice to the others, trying to sound as calm as possible.

"What's all the ruckus?!?" Captain Horn demanded, door banging on its hinges behind him as he barged in.

However, the anger and annoyance behind his shout faded from his expression the instant his gaze fell upon the bed, to be replaced with shock. The pirate captain froze, jaden eye widening with confusion, and simply gaped at the sight of Hare's small body thrashing and writhing in the throes of some distorted dream. Even though Holly had explained to him how the young bunny was sometimes subject to horrible visions, it was one thing to hear about something and quite another to see it played out before you…

"Captain, what's going on?" cried a voice directly behind him, causing Horn to jerk with surprise.

Whirling around, the pirate commander saw that several of his crew members lined the hall behind him, each pushing to try and get a glimpse into the room. Obviously, these Rockies were just as curious about what the hell was going on as he was, and had come to investigate the source of the horrible screaming. Several stared directly at him, waiting for whatever explanation he offered: after all, as their captain and commander, he was supposed to maintain order…

Out of the corner of his eye, Horn noticed Serinity glancing worriedly in his direction: while the pixie hybrid was focusing most of her attention on attempting to calm Hare down somehow, she also recognized how bad the situation was getting outside the room. The last thing they needed to deal with was a bunch of relative strangers watching them struggle to aid one of their own…

"Arr, what do ya think you're doin', you blasted fools?!?" he snarled, whirling to glare at the Rockies gathered around him. "Ye be havin' better things to do than bother our guests…! Get back to your posts, all of ye!"

The gathered crew members gulped collectively, and quickly scattered, knowing better than to argue with their captain when he had that nasty gleam in his eye. Even the most curious of Rockies understood that their questions as to what was going on in that room would simply have to go unanswered for now...

Casting another glare around the now nearly deserted hallway for good measure, Captain Horn nodded to himself in satisfaction before turning around and carefully easing the door closed. As he did so, he glimpsed the thankful half-smile that flickered on the pixie hybrid's pale face, and repressed a slight grin of his own.

With the distraction caused by unwanted witnesses removed, Serinity returned to focusing her full attention on trying to soothe Hare as best she could. Clasping the still squirming bunny's wrists tightly, she whispered soft words of comfort, attempting to coax him out of whatever nightmare he struggled so violently against.

"It's okay, it's alright… we're right here for you, please don't cry… it's just fine, everything is just fine… please wake up…"

"Get up, chi," Mocchi echoed, wide eyes wavering as he continued to grasp his friend's paw tightly with both hands, waiting for Hare to show some sign that he heard them…

* * *

__

The jell tentacles had disappeared shortly after Golem's figure had been completely engulfed by the waves, leaving Hare lying sprawled out on the beach alone. Their absence failed to comfort the little bunny, as he simply lay on the sand where they had dropped him and sobbed bitterly into his folded arms, curling back into a half-ball again.

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"………Golem…"

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Another friend lost… light fading from an already dark and colorless world…

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Images flashed through the crying rabbit's mind, snatches of memory of other visions he had dreamed recently…

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…Genki, Grey Wolf, Coltia and Scaler gathered in a circle round Suezo, eyes closed in concentration as a saffron aura formed around them, then vanishing in a flash, while Holly and the others watched in silence…

__

…Tiger of the Wind standing on an icy ridge, the full moon throwing his entire body into shadow as it rose behind him. Golden eyes glimpsed through the darkness, both horribly cold and burning with malice at the same instant, and fangs glinting in the moonlight as they were bared in a demented, wicked grin…

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…Holly's motionless body being hurled backward in midair, fragments of wood and stone surrounding her, a soundless scream frozen on her pale face as she plummeted toward the empty streets…

__

…Coltia, screaming, caramel eyes wide with both terror and outrage, flinging herself at a startled Black Dino, steel glimmering in both hands as she plunged it full into the dinosaur's chest directly beneath his Moo symbol…

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…Tears streaking down Serinity's pale cheeks as she lay crumpled on the ground, blood seeping from a terrible wound on her leg, shimmering leaf-green eyes locked on the unseen owner of the huge, somewhat familiar shadow that fell over her…

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…A pair of blazing verdant eyes half-veiled by the shadows surrounding a slender figure, and feminine lips twisting into a cruel smirk…

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…A close-up of Genki's screaming face, clear-brown eyes wrenched shut with pain, hair drenched with sweat, rain and blood…

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…Alan's blade clattering to the ground from white, limp fingers as the boy fell silently backward, sapphire eyes wide with shock as they slowly glazed over, becoming dim, utterly lifeless…

__

…Scaler and Suezo glaring at one another, eyes cold and harsh with pure hatred and malice, slowly circling each other, waiting for a chance to strike…

__

…Eboni and Mocchi screaming together as a blast of black-blue lightning surged around them, cutting off any chance of escape…

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…Everything and everyone he knew and loved, gone forever, leaving him completely alone in the darkness…

__

"…No… Please, no…"

__

Trembling, tears still trickling down his face, Hare gazed out into the seemingly endless void, clutching his pendant tightly in both paws.

__

"…Don't leave me alone…please…"

__

An image of his friend's lifeless bodies flashed through his mind again, and Hare shut his eyes in a futile attempt to shut out the horrible sight and sobbed, "You can't leave me all alone! You can't…"

* * *

Mocchi felt Hare's fingers wrap around his hands slowly, and returned the strong grip, eyes locked on the tan rabbit's face.

"Hare…chi?" he whispered.

Serinity and Eboni watched silently, eyes wide, as Hare moaned and stirred, eyelids flickering slightly. A shudder ran through the tawny-furred bunny's body, and slowly, his wavering brown eyes opened, although just barely.

"…Mmm… Mo…Moc…chi?" he murmured, gazing up with blurring vision at the pink monster's stunned face.

Serinity let out a soft gasp, hands flying to and covering her mouth, verdant eyes wavering with emotion. Eboni just stared, a shaky grin appearing on her face.

"…You… you see, guys? I knew he'd be okay…" the black rabbit said brightly, turning to smile at her friends.

The only reply Serinity found herself able to give Eboni was a short nod of agreement, tears brimming in her leaf-green eyes as she gazed down at Hare. She wanted to cry out, to bring the others running to see that their friend had finally awakened, but for some reason her throat was too constricted to function. Oddly enough, however, she found this only a minor inconvenience.

"…Eboni…? Serinity…?" Hare whispered, shifting around to try and get a better view of his friends.

However, he suddenly cried out and winced, pulling away slightly and grasping at his chest with his free paw. The other three Searchers started at this, and Serinity instantly reached out with glowing fingertips toward the tawny-furred bunny, recognizing at once why he had shouted with such pain so suddenly.

"Careful! You're still recovering…" she warned him, feeling slightly stupid even as she cried out. After all, he certainly knew a lot better than she did how much pain he was in…

"Th…thanks, Ser…inity," Hare managed to reply after a few seconds, forcing a weak smile in the pixie hybrid's direction.

Serinity blinked, then smiled gently in return, even as she finished casting a brief healing spell on him. Silently berating herself for not saving more of her energy, she quietly got to her feet, one hand resting gently on the side of the bed for support.

"I… I'll tell Holly and the others that you're awake," she murmured, excusing herself from the room.

Hare silently followed her with his gaze as the pixie hybrid slowly walked out and closed the door behind her. He had to hand it to her: she was fairly good at masking her own weakness, moving slowly in an attempt to conceal a slight limp brought on by pure exhaustion. Serinity was nearly completely drained, her injuries weighing heavier on her because of the way she had been pushing herself, yet she was trying so hard not to let it show to the others…

He might have been fooled himself, had it not been for the fact that he already knew all too well how much energy she had expended trying to help him alone. Plus, he was used to trying to conceal his own weakness from the others when he had been worn out himself in the past…

A soft sigh escaped from him at the thought of the past, catching the attention of his two companions. Mocchi and Eboni both blinked and looked over at him, each with almost the exact same expression of confusion and concern on their faces.

"…What's the matter?" Eboni asked, garnet eyes locked on the tan bunny's face.

"…Genki, Scaler, Suezo, Coltia and Grey Wolf are still back with Grey and Tiger's pack, aren't they…?"

Mocchi and Eboni blinked again in perfect unison, now looking utterly shocked. Hare couldn't keep himself from smirking for a second at the comical expressions on their faces: obviously neither had expected him to already know that the others had left, since it had happened while he was…

"…Y-yeah, as far as we know…" stammered Eboni after a short pause, staring at him in disbelief. Then, the shock starting to fade from her scarlet eyes, she cocked her head slightly to one side and added gently, "Why do you…?"

"………"

Hare just closed his eyes and leaned back into the bed, suddenly feeling very worn out and tired. His chest still ached a little, and he hoped he could finally rest without being haunted by any more visions at least for a little while…

Seeing their friend's eyes start to drift shut, Eboni and Mocchi glanced at one another and smiled. Mocchi slowly started to get up, loosening his grip on Hare's paw, only to pause in surprise as the tawny-furred bunny suddenly grabbed at his hand.

Looking down, he saw Hare staring up at him, intense fear burning in his wide, wavering brown eyes.

"…Mocchi… you guys won't leave too, right…?"

"…Chi…?"

Hare averted his gaze away from his companions, yet both Mocchi and Eboni could see clearly the tears glimmering in his bright brown eyes.

"…Mocchi… this is all wrong," he whispered after a while, so softly that his friends could barely hear him. "…Tiger, Golem, Suezo, you and I… for the Phoenix to rise, we have to be together… but now we're further away than ever… Everything's going horribly, horribly wrong…"

Looking back toward the pink monster, Hare added in a shaking voice, "Mocchi… you aren't planning on leaving too, are you…?"

Mocchi stared down at Hare's pale, frightened face, stunned by the fear he glimpsed shining so clearly in the bunny's eyes. After a few seconds, he appeared to snap out of his surprise, and smiled brightly.

"No way, chi!" he declared, grinning. "Mocchi staying right here, chi!"

"Me too!" Eboni chimed in brightly, reaching over and gripping Hare's paw with her own as well. Hare looked over at her, and she winked as she added, "Don't worry about a thing! We'll find a way to bring Tiger back, you'll see! By the time we're done with Moo, that baddie will be sorry he ever messed with any of us!"

"…R…right!" Hare replied, nodding back at the female rabbit, managing a slight smile at her confident words.

His eyes started to drift closed again, and Hare blinked rapidly in an attempt to fight off the wave of sleepiness that washed over him. However, this action did not go unnoticed by either of his friends, who glanced at each other knowingly.

"…You know, if you're tired, you can just fall asleep," commented Eboni, a slightly mischievous glint in her garnet eyes. "…I mean, we won't mind…"

"No, I… I'm fine," Hare quickly stammered, fighting back an urge to yawn.

"Look, if Serinity and the others found out you were staying awake just for us, we'd get in trouble, okay?" Eboni pointed out, her tone faintly mocking without being insulting. "We won't mind at all, right, Mocchi…?"

"Right, chi!"

"…But… But I…"

"Don't worry, we're not gonna leave you. We'll be right here, okay…?"

As she spoke, Eboni leaned up against the side of the bed and smiled reassuringly, squeezing Hare's paw in her own. Mocchi mimicked the gesture, seeing how Hare was obviously losing the struggle to stay awake.  


"No matter what happens, we'll always be there for each other," Eboni promised quietly, grinning at her two friends as she reached over and took Mocchi's free hand in her own so that they were holding on to each other tightly. "That's a promise, okay?"

"Okay…"

"Right, chi!"

"We'll be together forever," murmured Eboni, her own vision starting to blur slightly as she watched Hare and Mocchi's eyes slowly start to drift closed. "It's a promise…"

* * *

Sometime later, Holly slid the door open and peeked inside the small room. Her bronze eyes widened slightly with surprise for a heartbeat, then softened, and a slight smile spread over her lips as she looked at the three young monsters.

Eboni and Mocchi had both fallen asleep still kneeling at the side of the bed, each holding on to one of Hare's paws, their free hands cradled in each other's. All three were obviously completely out of it, the sound of their soft breathing the only noise in the small chamber.

Smiling gently to herself, Holly eased the door shut, then turned to face Serinity and Alan and placed a single finger to her lips. Both appeared to understand, their soft smiles mirroring her own, and all three quickly crept away, leaving the youngest members of the Searchers alone to rest.


	19. Definition of Loyalty

* * * Episode Nineteen: Definition of Loyalty * * *

Genki Sakura let out a moan as he flopped down upon the gravel-strewn floor of the cavern that served as his temporary room, not particularly caring about the chances of his landing right on a sharp rock. Fortunately, luck was with the young boy, and he simply lay upon the ground for a long moment, then sighed and rolled onto his back. Clear brown eyes gazed up at the cave ceiling without really seeing any of it: his thoughts were pretty much elsewhere…

…Mainly, on how much his body still ached from the latest battle…

He grimaced as his stomach throbbed slightly as if reminding him of the last fight. One little mistake had caused that: he'd dodged left when he should have gone right, and a Zuum had nailed him right in the chest with his tail.

__

Lucky shot, Genki thought, wincing at the memory of how all the breath had rushed out of his lungs and left him sprawled out gasping for air.

Thankfully, one of Scaler's blades had whizzed out of seemingly nowhere and taken the Zuum right in the side of the neck before the baddie could press its advantage. It was just another one of the lost discs they had gathered and taken away to a safe hiding place after the battle was over…

…At least, if it hadn't been trampled to bits before…

Genki sighed, clear brown eyes wavering with frustration.

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- It wasn't supposed to take this long. –

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- We were supposed to have gotten rid of Moo already, made him back off, and then gotten back to Mocchi, Holly and the others… -

Memories of the others floated through his mind: Holly, Hare, Serinity, Eboni, Alan and the Worms, and Mocchi. The stunned expression on the young pink monster's face still stood out clearly in Genki's thoughts, of how upset and… betrayed he looked.

A flash of guilt ran through the boy: he and Mocchi had been separated time after time during their first journey, and rarely by choice. One of the hardest things about leaving after the Phoenix rose was knowing that he'd be away from his partner and friend yet again, and he would never had left if the firebird hadn't promised that they would be reunited.

Absently, Genki glanced over at his backpack, where he had stored the feather given to him by the Phoenix. He frowned slightly, concerned. He would have used the feather to instantly transfer back, first to his own world, then to Mocchi's side again, if it wasn't for one small problem…

The thing no longer worked.

Genki hadn't told a soul, but the night after they had arrived and settled in, the same night that they had discovered Tiger's… possession… he had attempted to use the feather to go back home. He'd just wanted to try and pick up some more supplies, to help out in the upcoming fight, but…

It hadn't worked. Genki had stood there for seemingly hours, calling upon the Phoenix's power to transport him home, back to his own world, and felt nothing. Not even the slightest response from the glistening, fiery feather: it had just sat there cradled in his hands, glowing gently as it always did.

Genki didn't dare tell any of the others about this, of course. The last thing they needed was another problem hanging over their heads in addition to the fighting and the waiting and the watching and the wondering…

That was one of the worst parts of this whole mess: the not knowing. The battles themselves didn't seem as bad as the tense periods of waiting between each wave. It felt like everyone was always on their toes, always studying the surroundings, jumping at shadows. They were on edge, teetering, testing their footing, praying nothing happening to send them spiraling into oblivion.

After the brief invasion of the very caverns themselves, things had gotten even worse.

Coltia had become a total wreck, not even telling Genki himself what exactly was the matter with her. That hadn't kept anyone from piecing the incident together from what few clues they had, but the girl appeared to simply ignore any sympathy she got. She simply threw herself into caring for the younger cubs, watching over them constantly.

The dagger Scaler had given to her, Genki had noticed, remained latched to her belt at all times, firmly tucked into its leather sheath.

Absently, he patted where the scaled hare's gift to the boy was lying: at his side, but never drawn. Not yet, anyway, and hopefully, not ever.

Suezo was not faring much better than the poor girl, either. The eyeball monster now spent a great deal of his time out on one of the highest ledges, scanning the horizon constantly. Being able to naturally see farther than the wolves, he had assumed the role of another sentry, joining the ranks of those watching for any sign of enemy movement.

But, just like Coltia, the formerly smart-mouthed Suezo was acting sad and withdrawn, and he wouldn't tell Genki why. Quite frankly, the clear-eyed boy was sick and tired of not knowing what was the matter with his friends. Their seemingly constant silence over the whole thing was driving him insane!

"…Bet they woulda told Holly all about it," he muttered under his breath, glaring at the ceiling.

Of course, naturally, that little observation only got him thinking about Holly and the others again. To put it mildly, it completely and utterly ticked Genki off not knowing how the rest of his friends were doing. Were they still safe…?

Genki smirked, reprimanding his subconscious for the silly questions. Of course the others were still fine, still waiting for them back at the old, abandoned town. There was simply no way that Holly and the rest of the gang would get into any trouble… after all, Moo was still here, right? Since the baddie commander was focusing his attention on trying to conquer the wolves, the other Searchers would be safe from him…

…And once this was over, Genki and his team would return to them, and Hare would have made a full recovery, and they would find a way to save Tiger, and everything would be alright…

"Yeah… everything's gonna be just fine…" Genki muttered sleepily, as his eyelids suddenly felt heavier than usual. As he drifted off, thoughts still focused on Holly and the others, he repeated in a hushed whisper, "Everything's… gonna be alright…"

* * *

Suezo stared steadily into the night, struggling against the growing urge to allow himself to nod off. His body, unfortunately, was not about to cooperate with his wishes, as the eyeball monster kept having to snap his head back up from a bowed position.

"I am not falling asleep," he growled, green-gold eye harsh and cold as he forced himself to glare into the darkness. "I am going to sit here, and look for any sign of the baddies, like I should have done all the time before!"

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- Before what…? Before those creeps managed to sneak in and kill those cubs…? –

"Shut UP," he snarled, narrowing his eye in disgust, glad that nobody else was up here with him to witness the eyeball monster arguing with himself.

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- It wasn't your fault, you know. Those bastards teleported in above you… there was no way you could have possibly known. You were lucky to see that shadow when you did… otherwise… -

Suezo shook his head rapidly, tears beginning to glimmer in his green-gold eye.

"Why… why did it happen anyway? How could Ti…"

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- Not Tiger, stupid, Moo. If anybody's to blame, it's Moo. He's the only one who would go after a bunch of helpless pups like that… –

Suezo silently conceded that point, though it did nothing to ease his feelings of guilt. A terrible memory flashed through his mind, of wandering down the barren corridors sometime after the raid and still seeing little lost discs scattered around. Coltia had been rounding up the puppies, and their sorrowful, frightened whimpering and tear-streaked faces were burned firmly into his thoughts.

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- I… failed them. I should have been able to protect them… Let's face it, Suezo, all you've really been good for is spotting the threat before the others could, and warning them… How can I… face them after messing up like that? –

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- …How can I possibly face Holly, when it could have been her… -

A shudder coursed down the eyeball monster's tail as he asked himself the all-too-familiar question, the same one he had been pondering ever since the horrible assault in the caverns. The idea of how Holly would react when she found out… he couldn't stand the thought of the sadness that would fill her soft bronze eyes. Disappointment… a loss of trust…

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- I've always protected Holly. I would do anything for her, just to see her safe. We've always been together… but now… now she's far away, and I… can't… -

Suezo sighed, green-gold pupil wavering with emotion as he continued to stare into the darkness surrounding the caves.

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- I don't even know if I would be able to protect her anymore, even if I was by her side… …Holly… -

* * *

Not far away from the canyons, a single monster stood upon a ridge overlooking the surrounding area, golden eyes sweeping around restlessly. Dark violet fur rippled in the cold night breeze, yet he remained standing firmly in place.

"He's here, isn't he?" a soft female voice whispered at his shoulder as another of his kind stepped up beside him.

"…Yes."

Silence prevailed between the two for several moments, seconds stretching out seemingly endlessly in the darkness.

"…You know what will likely happen to us for this choice," the female finally said, shattering the stillness with her quiet words. Turning deep golden eyes toward her companion, she added, "He will see us as traitors…"

"…Heh. The concepts of loyalty and betrayal change greatly depending on one's perspective," the other replied with a short chuckle, though his shadowed face remained solemn. "Someone banned as a traitor by one side may be considered a hero by the others. Better to be true to one's own self than to worry about the thoughts of others."

The female monster slowly nodded in agreement, and both gazed off once more towards the canyons, eyes glittering brightly in the moonlight.

* * *

One of the first rays of sunlight fell across Suezo's eyelid, causing him to snap his eye open with a gasp. For a few seconds, he blinked in surprise; then a soft, disappointed moan came from the eyeball monster, and he groggily righted himself, barely able to stand on his shaking tail.

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- …Can't believe I fell asleep like that… after I promised myself… hey, what…? -

Suezo paused in his latest round of self-blame and squinted in an attempt to clear his blurring vision. Just for a second, he could have sworn he'd seen something moving in the distance… Unconsciously, he leaned forward as if that would somehow help adjust his tired eye all the quicker to the slowly brightening sunlight…

Abruptly he stiffened, foggy green-gold pupil clearing and dilating into a single dot in his suddenly widened eye.

"………Oh………KUSO!!!"

He backed up swiftly, nearly stumbling over his own tail as he hopped backward as fast as he could, horrified gaze still locked on the horizon. Naturally, this did not last, as his foot soon landed squarely on a rock and slipped, flipping Suezo right onto his back. However, this barely appeared to faze him, as the eyeball monster quickly righted himself and scrambled into the cave behind, screaming all the way.

"Hey guys! Guys-sssss… w-we got a little problem he-he-here…!"

Genki was one of the first to emerge from his sleeping quarters, rubbing his eyes with one hand and trying to completely wake up.

"Su…Suezo…? Wha…what's the matter?" he yawned, giving the eyeball monster a confused, sleepy look.

This query was echoed by many of the rebels and wolves that had been awakened by Suezo's shout, some considerably less pleasant than others. However, for most it took only a glance at the frantic eyeball monster's terrified expression to tell that he had not disturbed them without reason.

"…Moo's sent more of his soldiers, right?" Scaler said more than asked, violet-brown eyes already shimmering with resolve.

Suezo could only nod, finding his mouth had gone dry and he could do little more than stammer otherwise.

Howls of anger and frustration rippled through the gathered wolves, mixing with harsh muttering and worried whispering. Coltia gulped and nervously gripped the handle of her dagger again, caramel eyes wavering with emotion. Grey Wolf closed his shining blue eyes and sighed, fighting down the urge to join his pack in voicing his feelings. Genki gritted his teeth, hands balling reflexively into fists.

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- Will this never end…? -

A thought that echoed in the minds of all those gathered in those caverns, though none gave voice to it.

Genki glanced around at the others, clear brown eyes shining with determination. It was obvious from the solemn expression on the boy's face that he was already resigned to yet another battle.

"I say, down with the baddies!" he shouted, pumping his clenched fist into the air to the howls and cheers of his companions.

A massive wave of rebels and wolves dashed out of the caverns, off to face another day of conflict. Practically all knew there was a chance they would never return to the safety of the caves, and yet that was the very reason that they fought: to keep their homes safe for those who would survive.

For their family and friends, they charged headlong into chaos.

The new dawn broke over a raging battlefield.

* * *

A cruel smirk twisted the visible side of Moo's face, distorting the scar that stretched from his forehead down to his cheek. Mismatched eyes of cold gold and burning crimson gleamed as they reflected scenes from the battle. Moments of horror, caught by dark magic and displayed before the titan solely for his pleasure, some repeating over and over again at his silent command.

This time, the tyrant had sent more skilled warriors than he had before. His smirk widened into a grin at the delicious irony: the wolves and rebels had no idea that they were being simply toyed with. And even if they did comprehend this, he doubted they realized another part of what he was using them for.

Quite simply, they were a test. A method he was using to gauge the strength of many of his… 'new recruits'… Soldiers that had been willing to join Moo in his conquest and ones that he had needed to… convince…

By battling the wolves day after day, these new members of his army were, in a sense, taking a final exam of sorts. If they survived the assault, they passed. If not… well, one less mouth to feed, and one less faulty warrior that would only serve to weaken whatever unit they were in.

Moo chuckled, eyes glittering with fiendish delight. Really, it was simply too perfect an arrangement. He really had to remember to let the survivors of the wolves' resistance in on his little game once it was all over…

…That was, if any of them survived all the way to the inevitable end…

…Ah well. Even if none of the rebels made it, all that meant was that they were too weak to be of any real use to him…

* * *

"…Is it time, sir?"

"…Yes. Let's go."

"Good luck, everyone. Try to stay alive."

"Oh yeah, that's really reassuring to hear…"

"…Shut up, you…"

* * *

Cold steel sliced through flesh and muscle to a symphony of ragged screams and cut short cries. Violet-brown eyes gleamed with the same harsh edge as the blades held firmly in the scaled hare's paws. Leather cloak billowing in cascading folds around his lithely twisting body, the monster pressed his attack, seemingly oblivious to the chaos raging around him.

Under the mask of cool detachment, however, Scaler was all too aware of the dire situation he and his battle companions faced.

The rabbit's long ears twitched slightly at each scream of anguish, every moan of pain that reached him over the clamor of battle. With each shriek, he silently removed one more fighting-strength monster from the count he was keeping in his head. Since the majority of his comrades were wolves, it was not too difficult for him to tell the difference between their death howls and the dying cries of the enemy.

It was an old habit of Scaler's to try and keep a mental toll of the wounded and deceased even as he fought on. By subtracting the running tally from the amount of baddies he glimpsed on the battlefield, he was able to make pretty good estimates of how well they were faring in the fight itself. It worked well when he was fighting solo, enabling him to make certain not a single opponent left alive, and so far, the technique appeared to be adapting well to an all-out struggle like this one…

This time, however, Scaler definitely did not like what he was hearing.

Even over the final screams of the enemy fighters closest to him, an almost uninterrupted song of death orchestrated by his blades, he could tell one thing that would have chilled the blood of a softer-hearted monster…

More of the wolves had cried their last than the baddies.

Still, despite that terrible knowledge, the scaled hare only gritted his teeth and continued his assault, rather than retreat in an attempt to save his own hide. This was war, and casualties were to be expected on both sides.

Besides, he would rather die fighting against Moo than let his very mind and soul be stripped away and his shell of a body forced to fight to further the tyrant's dark desires…

So his swords continued their blood song, adding to the chorus of dying screams.

* * *

Grey Wolf was not as unaffected as Scaler appeared to be. The silver-furred lupine winced visibly at each wailing howl, able to recognize the identity of most of those wolves who cried their last. Tears were beginning to sting his ice blue eyes despite all of his efforts to fight them back: he simply was not experienced enough with masking his feelings to battle both his enemy and his emotions.

Several of those same enemies saw his sorrow clearly, and sought to exploit it, sneering at him even as he lashed out. A few even teased and leered at the silver wolf as they felt their life slip away, as if amused by the knowledge that even their deaths would not ease his pain, would not bring back those their comrades had killed.

"Poor little wolfie," cackled a Black Worm, aiming a bloodstained stinger toward the silver monster's heart. "Don't worry, I'll send you to see your friends…"

"Go to hell," Grey Wolf snarled, lightning coursing from his horns and frying the worm's body before it got a chance to fire again.

A distressed yelp caught his attention, and Grey Wolf whirled in time to see another Datonare stumble. Before he could react, his pack member was dead, a Zuum's claws ripping through the poor wolf's throat.

"No!" he cried uselessly, sending an Ice Bullet speeding toward the saurian.

He took little comfort in the fact that the Zuum was instantly killed by the impact, a half-frozen lost disc clattering to the ground where it had stood over his comrade's lifeless body moments before.

Grief filled the silver-furred lupine's heart, the stubborn tears trickling down his cheeks even as he turned and electrocuted another baddie.

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- What's the damned point, anyway? Even if we somehow win this fight, M… Moo will just send more troops. He always does. -

Claws lashed out against approaching enemies, and Grey Wolf backed away a few steps, snarling, white fangs flashing in the sunlight.

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- Moo considers these monsters expendable, useless for anything other than furthering his ambition. No matter how many we kill, there are always more on the way. - 

Ice-blue lightning flashed out and enveloped a small group of Clays; they were all lost discs before they hit the ground.

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- My pack has no such luxury. Every fighter lost is a friend, a family member, a loved and cherished one. - 

Some distance away, at one of the cave's entrances, Coltia struggled to help a pair of injured Datons into the relative safety of the caverns. One of the wolves was breathing raggedly, leaning heavily into the other for support, and the other bore this weight in silence despite his own grave wounds.

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- We are family. All sisters and… brothers… and Moo wants to take that away… either by killing us… or making us just more mindless slaves in his army… -

Another wolf let out a choked off yelp as claws dug into his neck, and his murderer grinned nastily, eyes glinting crimson.

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- I cannot… I will not let any more of my friends get used by that bastard the way he did me! …The way he is using my brother…! -

With an angry howl, Grey Wolf surged forward, a silver blur of movement shooting straight into the fray raging around him, striking with fangs, claws and electricity. As long as the silver-furred wolf had energy, he would fight with everything he had to protect those he loved from sharing the same horrible fate he had once lived through.

* * *

Saffron gritted her teeth, firing bolt after bolt of yellow-tinted electricity at any baddie who dared to come close to her. Sweat trickled down her face, creating tiny furrows in her fur, and the female Daton found herself edging backwards.

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- Damn, there's too many of them! Where does Moo get all these followers of his?!? Are there really THAT many insane monsters in the world…? - 

"Saffron, look out!"

"What–" was all she was able to get out before something slammed into her side, sending her sprawling and scrambling to keep on her feet. Snarling a curse, Saffron whirled around to berate whoever had shoved her--

--And froze, eyes widening with shock as time seemed to freeze, searing every detail of the scene before her into her mind.

Toge was standing where she had been just seconds before, shoulder still thrust slightly toward her as he had when pushing her away. The cause of his warning shout and shove was currently sinking its jagged fangs into his stomach, black scales and Moo symbol glittering in the sunlight.

"_NO!_" she shouted without even realizing it, shattering the frozen moment as yellow lightning surged from her horns into the Black Dino's side.

The baddie grunted and released its hold, and as it whirled toward its intended target, Toge slumped limply to the cold earth. Saffron dodged away, trying to keep one eye on her enemy without looking away from her friend's crumpled form, not wanting to let him out of her sight…

But she couldn't see everything, and stumbled as another dinosaur's tail clipped the back of her left hind leg. Roaring in triumph, the Black Dino leapt upon her…

"No you don't!"

Wheels slammed into the dinosaur's face and sent him reeling, and as Saffron recovered and righted herself, Genki landed in front of the female Daton. Glancing back at her, the clear-eyed boy nodded and smirked.

"Get back to the caves, okay? Hurry!" he ordered.

Saffron paused, then nodded, realizing he meant the command to address both of them. Quickly, she nudged Toge, urging the Datonare to rise shakily to his feet.

"Hurry up, will you?" she snarled, making him lean against her as they rushed back to the caverns.

Genki, meanwhile, literally threw himself into the task of distracting the Black Dino, lunging at the baddie and swinging his fist at its chest. It grunted and swept at him with its claws, yet the boy easily slipped away, and laughed as he skated backwards, a cocky grin on his face.

"Ha hah, can't catch me!" jeered Genki, dodging another slash. "C'mon, why don't ya-"

The rest of his taunt was lost as all the air was abruptly knocked out of his lungs, and Genki reeled backward, landing roughly on his back.

__

Another tail attack, something in the back of his mind noted blandly. _What is it with me and that stupid attack, anyway?_

Desperately trying to suck air into his lungs, the boy was only vaguely aware of the fact that the monster that nailed him was probably close by, already sneaking up to kill him while he was helpless. That thought didn't help him recover any faster, unfortunately.

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Don't tell me this is how the great 'Monster Champion' is going to die, an oddly cynical voice sneered from somewhere deep within his mind. _Flat on his back like a turtle and just as helpless to do anything about it…_

__

NO! another part of his mind screamed defiantly, though Genki still could not pull enough breath into his lungs to give voice to this cry. Clear brown eyes screwed shut from the pain, he attempted to push himself off the ground, to move, only to slump back down, exhausted.

A shadow fell over his fallen body, and Genki managed to force one of his eyes open a bare sliver. His vision was blurring badly, yet he could still pick out a distinctly lupine form, and his heart leaped briefly into his chest.

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- One… one of the wolves… I still have a chance… -

Then his vision cleared just a little more, and Genki felt his hopes sink as quickly as they had risen. A Cabalos was standing over him, yellow-gold eyes fixed on the boy's face, a solemn expression on its violet-furred muzzle.

Genki would have laughed at the bitter irony if he had been able to catch his breath. As it was, the boy simply let himself slip back into near-unconsciousness, still trying to pull air into his lungs even though part of him had already accepted the idea that they had finally lost the ongoing conflict.

He watched through squinting, blurring brown eyes as the Cabalos drew closer, its golden eyes occasionally darting from side to side. Soon it was standing directly over the boy, its horns beginning to crackle with dark blue electricity. Part of Genki's mind screamed in defiance, urging him to move, but he simply found himself unable to. He was too weak, and it was too late for him to avoid a blow from such a close range anyway.

__

- So this is really it, then… Holly, Mocchi, everyone, I'm sorry… -

The dull crackling of the charging lightning seemed to roar in his ears, its steadily building blue glow nearly blinding the boy. Wincing, Genki waited for the energy to surge through his helpless body.

An image of his absent friends filled his mind: Holly, Alan, the Worms, Serinity, Hare, Eboni and Mocchi. A faint smile appeared on the boy's face, the pain melting away somewhat as he thought of them.

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- …Least they're safe… Like Scaler said… they can… continue the quest… -

He heard the bolt fire, and tensed, bracing as best he could for the rush of pure agony, wondering how it would feel to die. To his amazement, however, he felt… nothing. After what seemed like forever, he slowly forced his eyes to open again, certain he would see the Cabalos still standing above him, just waiting for the pitiful human to catch a glimpse of his killer before finishing him off…

The Cabalos was standing directly over the boy, just as he had expected. But instead of unleashing an attack on Genki the moment he opened his eyes, the purple lupine completely ignored him, unleashing his attacks on the monsters surrounding them.

"…Wh…wha…" Genki stammered weakly, attempting to get up again.

Suddenly, his still-blurring vision fixed on the Cabalos's chest, and the boy felt a shaky grin spread over his face. The violet-furred wolf was not wearing a Moo symbol, while the monsters his attacks struck were.

Turning his head slightly, Genki noticed scattered traces of purple in the midst of the furious battle, and smiled even as his vision faded away completely and his head dropped back down limply against the ground…

* * *

Grey Wolf howled as something slammed into his front left paw, causing him to stumble. His opponent let out a triumphant snarl and lunged toward him, only to freeze, crimson eyes going wide with shock. The silver-furred lupine stared at the baddie in shock, not knowing what was wrong. Then the black dinosaur collapsed, and Grey Wolf recoiled involuntarily, blue eyes widening at the sight of a Cabalos standing on the baddie's broad back.

The violet-furred lupine tore into the hapless monster's neck, then turned and looked up at the stunned Grey Wolf. A smile appeared on its blood-smeared muzzle, and it nodded briefly in his direction. Then, before he could react, it sprang nimbly away, searching for another opponent.

Grey Wolf had no time to wonder about this occurrence, however: the fight was still raging all around him, and he was quickly drawn back into the struggle. The silver-furred lupine could sense, however, that the course of the battle was changing, as the pained cries of his friends and allies became less frequent.

Still, it felt as if an eternity had passed before the last of Moo's surviving soldiers scrambled away from the battlefield, leaving behind a ragged and worn-out group of defenders behind them.

Panting hard, Grey Wolf glanced around in attempt to see who still stood with him, and was grateful to see several of his pack still up and walking about. Many of them were injured, however, and he could only hope that many of the other wounded had retreated back into the caverns. Scaler was also there, leather cloak drenched in blood and sweat, and the green rabbit strode up beside him, violet-brown eyes narrowed and fixed on something past the silver lupine.

"…It appears we have company," he commented after a short pause, fingering the edge of one of his bloodstained swords.

Turning around, Grey Wolf's ice blue eyes widened slightly as they met the steady gaze of a pair of Cabalos, a male and female. More of the purple-furred lupine were ranged out over the field, helping the more gravely wounded members of his pack along. However, it was obvious that the two standing in front of Grey Wolf and Scaler were the leaders of the newcomers.

"…You are…?" Grey Wolf prompted, eyeing the pair suspiciously.

Much to his shock, the duo responded by crouching down before him, bowing their heads submissively in a posture that bared their necks to him. If he had moved to attack them, he could have easily crushed their exposed necks in his jaws. However, he made no such attempt, instead simply gaping at them.

"Master Grey Wolf, I am Chishi of the Darkclaw unit," the male stated, gazing up at the stunned silver wolf with dark golden eyes. "This is Yuri, my second in command. We served under you during your reign as one of Moo's generals…"

Grey Wolf continued to stare at them, a flicker of recognition dawning in his widened blue eyes at the Cabalos's words. He had attempted to suppress all of his memories of his time as one of the Big Bad Four, but he still somewhat recalled what the purple lupine was talking about…

"My liege, we have heard of your current difficulty with your former commander," the female Cabalos, Yuri, continued. "If you would accept us, we and our comrades would gladly fight for you once more."

Grey Wolf was unable to reply at first, struck speechless from pure shock. However, Scaler was not so affected, and the cloaked rabbit eyed the pair with a neutral expression on his face.

"…You would rather serve Grey Wolf than Moo?" he queried, his tone somewhere between suspicion and mocking amusement.

"We pledged our loyalty to Grey Wolf, not to Moo," Chishi replied, returning the scaled hare's gaze firmly, unwavering. "Grey Wolf is our one true master."

"Master Grey Wolf, if you will allow us, we will gladly give our lives for you and your pack," added Yuri, soft yellow-gold eyes fixed on the silver-furred lupine's face.

Still unable to speak, Grey Wolf finally managed to nod once in reply. Scaler arched one eyebrow at this, but remained silent. A genuine smile appeared on the two Cabalos' faces, and then Chishi snapped his head up sharply and let out a howl. At its sound, all of the Cabalos in the field looked up, eyes instantly flying to where he stood.

"Everyone, continue to aid the members of Master Grey Wolf's pack," he ordered, gaze sweeping around to each of his followers. "We will be staying here from now on."

A cheer rose from the gathered Cabalos, who then quickly returned to helping clean up the battlefield. Chishi turned back toward Grey Wolf and bowed low again, a gesture mimicked by Yuri.

"Thank you, master," the pair chorused, before turning and joining their fellow pack members in aiding their new allies.

Grey Wolf gazed after them for a long moment, ice blue eyes strangely distant. Scaler stood behind him, folded arms hidden under his billowing cloak, violet-brown eyes unreadable.

* * *

Weed cautiously peeked into his master's chamber, shivering with terror. The titan was still gazing at the magical replays of the battle, repeating different scenes from the struggle over and over again before his clashing eyes. Echoes of death screams filled the air, and the purple plant shuddered again at the terrible clamor.

"…Ah, Weed, I didn't see you there," Moo suddenly said, whirling to face his horrified lackey.

"…Y-yes, well I, uh…" the plant monster stammered, shaking as he caught a glimpse of another Weed monster in one of the viewing portals.

This particular baddie had done well in the battle… up to the point where he came face to face with Scaler. As the servant of Moo watched in mute horror, his kinsman's death played out over and over again, the now dead plant screeching as blades sliced him apart.

"Is something the matter, Weed?" Moo inquired coolly, arching his visible eyebrow and gazing nonchalantly at the trembling plant.

"…N…n-no, sir," it somehow managed to squeak out through its suddenly contracted, dry throat.

Moo gazed down at his lackey for a few more moments, then turned away and waved a hand dismissively.

"If you came to report our temporary defeat, I already know. Now then, you may leave, unless, of course…" --here he eyed the purple plant briefly-- "…there is anything else you wish to say to me…?"

"…No sir. T-thank you, sir," the Weed forced out, voice little more than a bare whisper.

It turned and left the room slowly, almost mechanically. Moo smirked as the door slid shut behind his lackey's retreating form, but the amused expression faded as he swung his gaze back towards the replaying images. Several were focused on different Cabalos, each of the purple-furred wolves aiding one of Grey Wolf's pack or the other rebels. The tyrant's golden and crimson eyes flashed as they came to rest on an image of a Cabalos standing over the fallen Genki, defending the boy until the battle was over.

Because of the Cabalos' interference, Genki had survived the assault, along with many other members of the rebellion that should have been killed. Moo frowned, mismatched eyes glowing, then suddenly vanished from the chamber, leaving the magical screens to continue playing out their chosen scenes until his return…

* * *

The titan's ebony cape and long hair billowed behind him as he materialized and strode forward, into the center of the shadow-filled room. Deep echoes of his pounding footsteps resounded throughout the huge chamber, hinting of its immense size despite the fact that its walls were hidden completely by the darkness, making it difficult for anyone to guess at, let alone see, its exact dimensions.

Yet despite the near pitch-blackness of the chamber, Moo walked on confidently, without the slightest fear of losing his way.

Certain members of the Searchers may have pointed out that he was already lost to the darkness… but no one was there to make that observation. The only living creature in that shadowy room was Moo himself, and he would have hardly called himself 'lost to the darkness'… since it was a part of the tyrant.

He stepped easily onto a dais without the slightest hesitation or pause, not needing light's glare to be aware of its presence and exact location. Mismatched eyes of frosty gold and burning scarlet glittered in narrowed slits as he stood, not even bothering to glance around. There was no need for him to, for every square inch of this chamber was burned into his memory. After all, he had created it solely to fit his purposes…

Surrounding the raised platform in a half-circle, each completely within easy sight of the demonic monster, were several crystalline spikes. Each stretched to a height equal to that of the titan, and appeared stunningly pure. While the sides facing toward Moo were incredibly smooth, almost like mirrors, the edges pointing away from him were covered in jagged, rough spikes, glittering like thousands of tiny blades.

The crystalline pillars, while all constructed of the same dark stone, appeared to possess their own unique auras as well. Each glittered faintly as if lit by something within, though even the combined light from all of the structures did not even come close to driving back the shadows that filled the immense chamber.

One of the crystals did not even provide this faint light anymore.

This single spire appeared to have been damaged horribly at some point: the once-smooth portion that faced where Moo stood was completely smashed in, shattered. It almost looked as though somebody had punched their fist directly into its center, but for anyone to do that, they would have to be incredibly strong…

Moo glanced briefly in the shattered pillar's direction, and for an instant his lips curled up into a hideous snarl, revealing sharp white fangs. Pure hatred gleamed in his cold golden eye and blazing crimson one. However, the expression soon faded, replaced by a cool, neutral look as the tyrant turned his back on the broken crystal and faced the other, whole, pillars.

His mismatched gaze soon rested upon two of the crystalline structures in particular, ignoring all the rest. Unlike the shattered spire, these two still glowed sullenly as if lit from within, casting their dull shine out into the blackness of the shadowy chamber. One had a glittering yellow, nearly golden sheen to its faceted surface, while the other pulsed with a pale, dismal ice blue aura. Something about the way the pale cerulean light shimmered through the crystal gave the impression of a surface of water reflected in the dark facets, but this was simply an illusion, a trick of the dully flickering light.

Moo watched these two particular crystal spires for a few moments in silence, clashing eyes reflecting the glittering auras briefly as he gazed at them, unblinking. His long, ebony cape and thick locks of hair ruffled and billowed as if stirred by some unseen wind, one that howled in silence around his standing figure. As the cold breeze increased steadily in strength, the titan continued to stare silently at the two pillars, unflinching even as their respective auras flared brighter and brighter, gold pulsing alongside blue.

Abruptly, the smooth surfaces of both structures all but exploded with light, a near blinding glare in the darkness. Yet Moo did not react to even this, muscular arms remaining crossed over his chest instead of raising to shield his mismatched eyes from the starbursts of light. Thankfully, the initial glare soon dimmed, leaving a steady glow in its stead.

The smooth sections of the crystalline spires that faced the tyrant were lit up completely, though once more the light seemed to emanate from somewhere within the pillars themselves than from any outside source. Now, however, the steady glow served another purpose rather than futilely attempting to pierce the shadows filling the chamber: they allowed Moo to see images moving inside them, reflections of the two generals he was contacting.

The communication crystals were far from perfect, of course: the images of his chosen elite monsters were wreathed in shadow, their faces half-hidden, though their eyes could clearly be seen, piercing the darkness. This detail did not bother Moo in the slightest, however: he already knew the exact appearances of his finest, his generals, and could easily identify each without even having to glimpse them clearly. In addition to their differently shaped bodies and distinctive voices, each had several certain gestures and habits that tended to give them away.

The pillar with the glittering gold aura reflected a slender, definitely feminine figure that radiated a dark charm and allure despite the fact that most of its owner's features were masked somewhat by shadows. Even the darkness, however, could not dim the gleam of two deep, dark jaden eyes, eyes that both drew in anyone who gazed into their depths and repelled anyone who glimpsed the cruelty and fierce anger that caused them to glitter so brightly. Anyone who noticed the latter too late to avoid being entranced by the former could only hope against hope that something might manage to free them… before they were beyond any fledgling chance of help…

Meanwhile, the hulking figure seen in the other spire, the one surrounding by a pulsing pale blue aura, was practically a direct opposite of this dark beauty. Shadows stretched over thick, rippling muscles that appeared harder than rock, doing little to hide the obvious strength of their bearer. A pair of cold eyes glared out from a solemn, stoic face, eyes the same pale shade as the cerulean light gleaming behind the massive figure.

"You summoned us, Master Moo?" a deep, harsh voice boomed, emanating from the bluish-tinted pillar.

"You wished to see us, Master Moo?" cooed a silky voice at almost the same instant, this one coming from the figure reflected in the golden spire.

"You are both aware of the situation concerning the rebels?" the tyrant inquired bluntly, not bothering to even acknowledge such obvious questions. While he would have been upset had one of them not observed the formality of greeting him in such a matter, he did not necessarily have to acknowledge them when they did…

The images in the spires nodded together, silent. The slender figure moved almost reflexively, fingers tracing briefly across her shadow-wreathed cheek. Moo noticed this but did not comment, his only visible reaction the slight quirking of one edge of his otherwise expressionless mouth upward for an instant. While anyone else might have thought the female general was wiping away a tear hidden by the darkness, the tyrant knew his chosen one far better than that. It was hardly a teardrop her slender fingers traced over… more a reminder of just what the rebels were capable of.

"They are proving to be quite annoying," the hulking figure in the blue-tinted crystal rumbled. "Even scattered as they are, the rebels refuse to acknowledge their own helplessness… they fail to accept that they are completely powerless…"

"Oh, they are far from powerless," hissed the slender silhouette. Again fingers brushed briefly against the same shadowy cheek, and a bitter laugh echoed from the golden pillar as the female voice, now dripping with hatred, added, "After all, they were able to overthrow even the master before… It's more a case of, they fail to see that their power is nowhere near enough now…"

"All too true, I'm afraid," Moo cut in smoothly, golden and crimson eyes glinting as he smirked and added, "That is what makes this game worthwhile. I have toyed with the boy and his precious little pack of resistance for some time, letting him discover just how weak he and his friends truly are. Soon, when the time is right…"

He paused, a terrible grin twisting the visible side of his face as he raised one armored hand and clenched it into a fist, snarling, "I will break him. Those wolves and their allies will learn the cost of defiance…"

Moo did not need to see clearly his two generals in order to sense their cruel smiles at his words, smiles of anticipation and twisted delight. He allowed the declaration to hang in the air for a few moments, stretching out the pause deliberately.

"…I have new orders for both of you," he finally continued, seeing he had the full attention of his two generals. Turning toward the blue-tinted crystal spire, Moo went on, "As you know, a handful of the rebels, including the maiden with the Magic Stone and the bearer of the Phoenix's Tear, have separated from those with the wolves. With their strongest fighters far away and the little rabbit injured, they have little chance of surviving a direct assault. Since they are currently crossing over your territory, I expect you will handle them properly…"

"Yes, Master Moo," the deep voice rumbled again, as the hulking figure reflected in the bluish crystal bowed.

Moo smirked, but his face was solemn again as he instructed, "The rebels will be on board a pirate ship commanded by an eyeball monster who calls himself 'Horn the Righteous Pirate'. His crew consists entirely of Rockies, which should give you little trouble. Out of the rebels themselves, the only ones who might put up any sort of fight would be some strange new human boy with blue-gray hair who carries a sword and his pair of worm monsters. They are worthless to me, so do with them as you please."

The bulky general bowed again, cold eyes glittering in the shadows surrounding him, then the aquamarine aura pulsing around his communication crystal faded away as Moo broke off contact.

"And how may I serve you, my dear Master Moo?" the figure in the golden spire cooed, almost playfully, jade eyes gleaming through the darkness covering her body.

"You, my lovely general, should prepare to expand your territory," was the tyrant's simple reply, a wicked gleam in his mismatched eyes. "I believe that some of your special talents will prove quite useful to me here…"

"As you wish, my liege," replied the female voice, as a cold smile curled full lips that were hidden in shadow.

The golden aura dimmed as the female silhouette bowed toward Moo, her figure fading away. Soon, the tyrant was once again surrounded by black, alone in the huge, shadowy chamber. He smiled coldly, golden and crimson eyes appearing to glow in the dark as a deep chuckle rumbled from his throat.

"You are not the only ones who can call upon allies, Searchers. Do not think those traitors will be able to save you again…"

Demented laughter echoed off of unseen walls as Moo whirled and strode back into the darkness, allowing the shadows to envelop his body completely into their waiting, dark embrace. Behind his fading form, the communication crystals he had used still glittered faintly with traces of aquamarine and gold…


	20. Flame's Reflection on Troubled Waters

* * * Episode Twenty: Flame's Reflection on Troubled Waters * * *

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The steady, pulsating light from the crystalline pillar before him slowly died as the gigantic monster turned away. The titan's face was wreathed in shadow, yet even the darkness could not mask the cruel glitter of cold, ice blue eyes. Something about the dull sheen of those aquamarine pupils reminded the watcher of the possessed Grey Wolf's eyes, and a shudder coursed down his back at the thought.

__

Still, he continued to watch silently, trying to ignore the pounding of his heart in his aching chest as he followed the hulking monster through the twisting corridor.

__

Despite all attempts to remain focused on the stranger, however, he found that his gaze kept drifting to his surroundings. Everything seemed bathed in the same eerie shade of pale blue: the walls, the ceiling all bore the aquamarine tint, and appeared to pulse slightly with the faint glow. Was it a trick of the light, or did they move as he watched… shimmering, throbbing in slow, steady waves in the same way as the ocean…

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Slowly, hesitantly, he reached out and placed one hand gently against the wall beside him. He let it lay there only for the space of a few heartbeats, then abruptly yanked it back to his side, brown eyes widening with horror as he backed up.

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It WAS moving. He had actually felt it shift under the slight pressure of his palm… cold, clammy, but responding to his touch nonetheless…

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Even more disturbing to him was the fact that it felt almost as if it was about to spread out to engulf him… pull him into its slimy embrace and hold him there while he kicked and struggled, unable to free himself… until his strength finally gave out, and then…

__

Shivering with fear, he edged away, being careful not to back into the wall behind him by accident. He quickly glanced down at the floor beneath him: unlike the rest of the pulsating chamber, it was constructed of smooth ebony marble, a fact he was now extremely grateful for. He couldn't bear the thought of having to walk over the slimy jell as well…

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…Jell. His bright brown eyes widened further with the sudden insight. That was exactly what the cold, clammy substance reminded him of.

__

He looked around swiftly, breath coming in short, panicked gasps as he backed down the pulsating corridor. It was even exactly the same color as the purebred Jells they had fought time and again during their travels… the same hue as Aqua Cutter's glistening, slimy scales…

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Terror overcame logic, and suddenly he was running, trying to escape the horrific thoughts, the living walls that gave birth to such terrible ideas.

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The shadowy monster he had been following was, for the moment, forgotten. All that mattered was escape… getting away from this nightmare he had been plunged into. 

__

At least, until he suddenly found himself directly in front of the towering giant.

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Startled, he paused out of pure shock for an instant, then swiftly backed away, wavering brown eyes locked on the stranger's shadowed face. All he could see was its cold, sullen blue eyes glaring down at him, freezing him in his tracks.

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He wanted to run, but his legs suddenly remained rooted to the spot. He wanted to fight, but could not find the strength to even shift into a more defensive position. He wanted to scream, but his voice refused to work.

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The stranger reached down and wrapped thick fingers around him: its hands were so large that it could hold him easily in one of its massive palms. Somehow, its firm grip seemed gentle, as if it loathed harming him, yet at the same time refused to give him any chance to escape its grasp.

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His paralysis faded, and he struggled in vain to free himself, his only reward for his efforts the gradual tightening of the giant's grip. Feeling his strength begin to ebb, trying his hardest to ignore just how much the stranger's skin felt as clammy and slimy as the jell walls, he gazed up through a haze of numbness toward his captor's face--

* * *

--Then snapped his eyes open and sat up straight with a start, gasping for the air denied him in his nightmare.

Hare spent a few minutes simply attempting to recover from the horrible dream, allowing the soft rasp of his gasping to be the only sound in the darkened chamber. Gradually, the terror of his realizations and being caught by the stranger faded, leaving behind a lingering sense of dread, a cold, twisting knot in the pit of his stomach.

"…Just another nightmare," he whispered.

But even as he muttered this reassurance, the tawny-furred bunny rubbed his arms in an attempt to dispel the memory of strong, clammy fingers closing around him.

Eventually realizing that nothing would cause him to forget that horror anytime soon, Hare sighed and let his paws drop back down limply to his sides. Wavering brown eyes drifted closed, and the little rabbit resigned himself to going over his dream in his mind's eye, struggling to piece together what he recalled in a way that might give the vision meaning. He knew it had to be some sort of warning… but what…?

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* Okay, let's think this through. Now then… what can I say for certain about what happened…? *

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* …Well, whatever that monster was, he was definitely one of Moo's generals. No way around that… those eyes were just too cold and cruel to belong to any possible ally… *

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* So… that probably means that I was in one of his fortresses or something… maybe even his base of operations…? *

Hare winced, recalling his discovery about the pulsing blue walls.

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* …I hope that was just symbolism or something… right, right, it HAD to be… I mean, there's no way that… *

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* …Even Moo couldn't be that twisted… *

Moaning, Hare allowed himself to topple backwards into the bed, the soft covers settling over his body. The young rabbit irritably kicked at them, shoving the tangled sheets aside with his feet, frustrated with the way they remained half-wrapped around his body.

He hated the direction his thoughts were taking right now, especially since he had the sinking suspicion that the truth – terrifying as it might be – lay somewhere along those lines. Things were bad enough as they were now without adding thoughts like those into the mix…

Finally, Hare managed to free his legs from the tangled sheets, and swung his feet over the edge of the bed. Honestly, the tan bunny was a little surprised that nobody else had been in the room with him when he woke up. He had gotten used to seeing one of the other Searchers there, gazing down at him with worry evident on their face and asking over and over again if he was okay.

Hare wasn't certain that he missed it, exactly.

It wasn't that he didn't appreciate having his friends there with him. The fact they remained so concerned about him even when he wasn't in any condition to be of much help on their quest was a definite relief. Hare treasured their presence, especially knowing that so many of his friends were scattered, so far away…

…But at the same time…

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* …They don't have to act like I'm so helpless… *

The tawny-furred bunny frowned in frustration. Holly, Serinity and the others meant well, of course… there was no denying that, and no reason to. Still, he hated how they were treating him now that he was finally awake again – he was beginning to wonder if it made a difference at all that he had regained consciousness! After all, it wasn't like they were acting like he was able to move now…

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- Hare, really, you must try to rest. You were injured so badly… Just focus on recovering for now, please…? -

That had been Serinity, although Holly and Alan had basically echoed her pleading later on. Time and time again, he had heard the same thing: _Concentrate on getting better for now, nothing else matters._

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* How can they tell me "nothing else matters" when Golem is still missing…? When Genki and the others are still out fighting Moo, with no clue of when or how we'll be able to see them again…? When Tiger is… *

Hare quickly swiped the back of one paw over his eyes, wiping away the tears that were beginning to trickle down his cheeks. Crying wouldn't bring everyone back together…

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* …And neither will just sitting here and doing nothing. *

Carefully, the tan bunny lowered himself to the floor, moving slowly to keep from slipping and giving himself away. He crept over to the door and eased it open just enough to peek into the hallway. There didn't appear to be anybody nearby, so Hare stepped outside, making certain the doorway shut behind him before moving on.

Placing one hand against the wall beside him to help steady himself, Hare walked quietly through the ship, bright brown eyes narrowed slightly as he looked for any sign of the other Searchers…

* * *

Wide garnet-stone eyes gazed down at the sparkling waves so far beneath their owner's dangling feet, practically dancing with happiness. Everything looked so beautiful… most likely because things had improved for her and her friends. Somebody she had been worrying about was finally recovering, they hadn't been attacked anytime after their escape from the harbor… Surely, the others sensed as well that everything was working out fine…

"Eboni! Be careful over there!"

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- …Okay, so maybe not everybody's stopped worrying so much… - 

"I'm alright, Serinity, honest!" Eboni called back, glancing over to where the pixie hybrid was standing with the other, older rebels.

However, the young Evil Hare obligingly pulled her feet back in from over the edge of the railing, not wanting to give her friends anything else to worry about. As nice as the cool spray from the ocean waves felt against her legs, they all had enough stuff to deal with without adding another argument over something as simple as this to the mix.

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- …'Sides, I can always do it later without getting caught… -

Serinity sighed in relief, seeing that the black rabbit had actually listened to her, then turned back to her companions with an apologetic smile.

"…Sorry about that. I just wish she wouldn't try things like that; I'm afraid that she might fall off…"

"Hey, not a problem," Alan reassured her, glancing over at Eboni with a slight frown. "If she's not careful, the water's exactly where she'll end up…face first and floundering."

The blue-gray haired boy smirked at that, hinting that he meant the comment as more of a joke than anything, but the solemn look in Serinity's wavering verdant eyes indicated that she saw the concept of Eboni falling overboard as anything but amusing. Holly simply shook her head, watching Mocchi run over to join the black bunny.

"…Genki…Suezo…" she murmured, bronze eyes wavering.

Serinity and Alan glanced over at her in concern, each wondering what they might say to cheer her up. Both recognized that there was precious little they could do to amend the situation: mere words would not bring their absent comrades back.

"Holly, it will be alright," Serinity told the girl anyway, feeling a need to do something to comfort her friend. "You just have to trust that they will be safe… that we'll find them again someday…"

"What, like we found Tiger?"

The pixie hybrid gasped, leaf green eyes widening at the sudden venom in the human maiden's tone. Alan also appeared taken aback, and he stared openly at Holly, not even bothering to mask his shock.

"Holly…"

"Well, isn't that what you were talking about, Serinity?" challenged Holly, glaring at the pixie hybrid with bronze eyes that shimmered with withheld tears. "Weren't you going to tell me that they'll be perfectly alright if we just keep believing that they're okay, just like you claimed with Tiger? Or were you talking about Golem, who we haven't even found yet?"

Serinity stared at the girl, tears beginning to fill her shimmering verdant eyes as she slowly shook her head in numb denial.

"For all we know, they could be dead! Moo could have killed Genki, Suezo, Scaler, Coltia, Grey Wolf and the whole pack right after they left! They may have never even made it there in the first place!"

"…H-Holly, you can't mean…"

"…And if that's the case, then Golem's probably dead too," Holly continued sullenly.

Serinity froze at this, stifling a startled gasp.

"Holly, you can't be serious!" Alan stepped in, seeing that Holly's impassioned remark had cut the pixie hybrid deeply. "We've spent all this time searching for…"

"For our missing friends, Tiger and Golem," finished Holly for him, dully. "I know. I know, but really – look just how far we've gotten! We've already _found_ Tiger, we know _exactly_ where _he_ is, but how much good has that done? All we really accomplished was getting poor Hare stabbed in the chest while the rest of us had to have our hearts torn apart the old fashioned way!"

"Holly!" snapped Alan.

"If that happened to Tiger, then how can we possibly hope to find Golem in any better a condition? Moo probably got to him first, and did who knows what to him…! He could be dead!"

Holly was practically screaming now, attracting the attention of everyone on the deck. Eboni and Mocchi had stopped roughhousing, and the two younger Searchers gaped at the human maiden in shock, not knowing what to make of her sudden anger. Mocchi's widened eyes wavered with fear: he was used to Holly being much calmer, and her fuming was seriously scaring the pink monster.

"Holly, chi…"

"…Golem is not dead," Serinity spoke up abruptly, her voice sounding eerily calm and collected in the face of Holly's unexpected explosion. Her orange-red bangs cast shadows over her face, and her cat-like ears were folded backward as she continued, "I know that Golem is alive out there, and we just have to find him…"

"Oh? And how do you know that?" asked Holly, tone somewhere between mocking disbelief and sarcasm.

Suddenly the pixie hybrid snapped her head up, and both Holly and Alan recoiled slightly at the sight of her shimmering, pain-filled verdant eyes.

"…Because I know Golem," she replied simply, voice quavering just slightly. "I grew up with him – he was my brother, and I know… that he's strong enough to survive anything. I know… that he's safe, and waiting to see his friends again… _ALL_ of us. We simply have to find him is all…"

With that, Serinity quietly turned away from the stunned pair of humans and walked off, heading toward the inner decks.

Holly stared after the pixie's retreating figure numbly, all of her anger and frustration suddenly abandoning her, ebbing away to a deep sorrow. Soon, all that was left was a horrid feeling of regret and denial, as her mind's eye repeated the last glimpse she had gotten of Serinity's pale face, tears slowly beginning to trickle down her cheeks as she turned away.

"…Serinity…" she whispered, bronze eyes wavering with sympathy.

Alan silently stepped up behind Holly and draped his arms around her shoulders, and she accepted the comforting gesture, still staring after the pixie hybrid.

* * *

Hare shrank back from the half-opened doorway, edging down the stairs, bright brown eyes huge with shock and denial of what he had just overheard. He had wanted to talk with Holly and the others about what was happening, to get their opinion on things, but… not like this…

__

* …H…Holly… Even Holly's given up hope about finding Golem and the others again…? Tha-that can't be… *

Vaguely aware of the fact that he was trembling badly, the tawny-furred bunny retreated back into the cover of the shadows, leaning heavily against the wall for support. Holly's outburst echoed in his mind, tauntingly, accompanied by a pounding headache.

__

- For all we know, they could be dead! Moo could have killed Genki, Suezo, Scaler, Coltia, Grey Wolf and the whole pack… -

His headache increased sharply, a stab of pain that coursed through his shivering body, and Hare moaned softly, burying his face in his palms as he slumped to the floor…

* * *

__

A swirl of confused images flashed through his aching mind, coming too swiftly to be seen clearly. Everything was bathed in too much darkness for him to be certain exactly what he was seeing, other than basic impressions, like glimpses of a nightmare through a dark mist. 

__

A pair of deep jaden eyes glared at him from a fine-boned, delicate face that remained mostly engulfed by shadow. A single slender finger curled slightly in a beckoning gesture, but instead of being drawn in, he felt repelled by the evil blazing in her dark verdant eyes, and backed away slowly.

__

A blinding flash erupted before him, fading away swiftly and leaving behind a new scene for his horrified gaze to fall upon.

__

A young boy lay sprawled on an ebony floor, marble tile as black as midnight splattered with drops of dark crimson. The youth's body lay motionless as a hulking shadow loomed over him, the darkness masking the severity of his wounds. The shadow spread from the feet of a masked titan with mismatched eyes, a towering monster who laughed demonically as his cape billowed in a sudden blast of cold air.

__

Another blast of searing light, and then…

__

He was standing on a cliff, overlooking a barren field – no, it was more like a wasteland, with scattered groups of lost discs the only thing visible, the only sign that anything had once lived here. As he gazed around in dull shock, a sudden rasp of labored breathing behind him caused Hare to jump, and he whirled around to face its source.

__

A single lupine monster lay there among the rocks, battered body already beginning to glow with the sullen radiance that preceded death. Hare could not even tell what color its bloodstained fur was before the light completely engulfed its form, and with a final burst of white light --

* * *

--Hare found himself back on the ship, huddled in a corner by the door, hugging his arms round his shaking body, hoping he had somehow misinterpreted what he'd witnessed.

__

* Please… oh please, don't let it be true… *

* * *

Holly made her way down the stairs in silence, racking her mind for something she could say to apologize to Serinity. She couldn't believe how she had let her emotions get the better of her – in front of everyone like that, yet…

__

- I should have known better. I'm usually able to act stronger than that… what came over me…? –

Holly winced as she recalled the look on Serinity's face just before she retreated: calm, collected in the face of a friend's doubt and disbelief… keeping her own doubts hidden behind a mask of hope, acting the role of a pillar of strength…

__

- …I'm supposed to be the one that helps everyone keep going. I have to be the strong one, the one who remains certain that everything will work out… -

__

- …Like Genki does all the time… -

__

- But Genki's not here now, and I have to keep hoping that he'll come back… -

__

- …No. I know that he'll come back… along with Suezo and all the others… -

__

- …They have to… -

She reached the bottom of the stairs, and paused as a soft noise caught her attention. It was faint, muffled, yet she managed to recognize it for what it was.

__

- Someone's… crying…? –

Following the sound, Holly peered around the corner and stopped dead in her tracks, bronze eyes widening with surprise.

"Hare…? What are you doing out of…"

The tawny-furred rabbit stiffened at the sound of her voice, and jerked his head up to stare at her. A mix of shock, guilt and sorrow filled his wavering brown eyes, and Holly gasped, abruptly realizing what was wrong.

He had _heard_ her ranting. That was as clear as the pained, hurt expression on his pale face, in the way he stared at her. The little rabbit had heard every last angry word she had snarled at Serinity and Alan when she lost control, and…

__

- …And he knows something I don't about it. -

"H-Hare, I…" she started to apologize weakly, taking a halting step toward the trembling bunny.

Much to her sorrow, he shrank away from her outstretched hand, still regarding her with widened, frightened, hurt brown eyes. However, after a few seconds, Hare suddenly sighed, sounding resigned, and let the girl help him stand. He didn't look directly at her, instead glancing away from her face, looking pensive.

"Sorry I left my room," he muttered under his breath, still not looking up into her apologetic face. "Didn't mean to make you worry…"

With a sudden movement, he slipped past her and darted off, leaving Holly to watch helplessly as he retreated back to the room they had been making him rest in. She wanted to reach out and stop him, talk to him, but knew that it was pointless. There was no way he'd listen to anything she said right now: she could only hope that she could diffuse the situation later, when each felt able to face the other again.

A fresh wave of self-loathing and frustration swept over Holly, and she bowed her head, letting her bangs fall over and shade her wavering chestnut eyes.

__

- In letting myself get upset… all I did was hurt the others… -

Sighing, she focused herself to turn away from the corridor which Hare had retreated down and continue her search for Serinity. All she could do now was try to mend the damage she had done, one friend at a time…

* * *

Wavering leaf green eyes gazed out toward the gentle waves of the cerulean ocean, shining with unshed tears.

Serinity had spent a great deal of her time lately watching the seemingly endless expanse of sea, trying to take comfort in its seeming tranquility. Even though this was her first time actually traveling across the ocean – the first time she had even been able to _SEE_ any body of water larger than the lake near her forest village – she already knew from the stories Captain Horn had told her of its deceptive quality. The pirate leader had told her seemingly countless stories of how quickly the seas could change, calm one instant, thrashing and swirling wildly in a horrible storm the next.

__

- Changing as quickly as Holly did earlier… -

She wanted to pretend that Holly's outburst was nothing more than a simple side-effect of bottling up one's stress and worries for too long. That her comments about Genki and the others possibly having fallen to Moo and his hordes were merely the result of needless worrying. That the human girl hadn't hit on a hidden, painful fear she had buried deep in her heart when she made that remark about Golem…

However, Serinity had always found it difficult to make herself lie for any reason, and especially to herself.

She was horribly worried about everybody, and about poor Golem in particular. As much as she clung to the hope that they were all safe… It didn't change the fact that they were all gone, far away from what little protection the pixie could offer with her healing.

Plus, knowing what she did about what had happened to Tiger only served to increase her fears about her childhood friend's safety… and Holly's outraged comments had not helped assuage those nightmarish thoughts in the least.

__

- If that happened to Tiger, then how can we possibly hope to find Golem in any better a condition? Moo probably got to him first, and did who knows what to him…! He could be dead! -

__

- …could be dead… -

__

- No, no that can't be true! Golem is not dead… he simply cannot be… -

Shaking her head, Serinity turned away from the small window and slowly walked off, deciding that a walk through the ship might help assuage her fears for the time being…

She wouldn't stop trusting that Golem and the others were safe, wherever they were. She couldn't. It would hurt too much to think otherwise…

* * *

"C'mon, Mocchi, hurry up! You'll never catch up at this rate!"

"Eboni-chi!" the pink monster shouted in frustration, reaching out to try and grab the laughing bunny as she darted ahead of him.

Eboni just glanced over her shoulder at him and smirked, crimson eyes twinkling with mischievous delight. After they had overheard Holly's anguished outburst earlier, Mocchi had been worrying about his friends, particularly Genki. Eboni hated seeing him upset, and had attempted to distract him by insisting he play games with her. Right now, her ploy appeared to be working: although he was angry at being unable to catch her for the moment, he'd also been unable to stop laughing…

Rounding a corner, she paused just long enough to face Mocchi, pull on her eyelid and stick out her tongue teasingly in his direction. The younger monster shouted indignantly and increased his efforts, barreling down the hall. Eboni hesitated a moment more, then spun on her heel with a laugh and darted away, still glancing over her shoulder to see how close her friend was.

Consequently, she failed to notice Serinity quietly walking along the corridor until she almost ran over the pixie hybrid.

Lost in her own musings, Serinity noticed at the last second that she was no longer alone in the hallway and stepped out of harm's way. The startled Eboni attempted to stop short, only to practically trip over her own two feet and stumble a few steps, arms windmilling in a desperate attempt to keep her balance. Gravity won the short battle, and the black bunny grunted as she landed flat on her stomach.

Mocchi rounded the corner a few seconds later and saw Eboni sprawled on the ground. Forgetting their game for a moment, he ran to her side and helped his friend stand.

"You okay, chi?" he queried as Eboni dusted herself off.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"I'm sorry," murmured Serinity. "I'm afraid that I didn't see you until…"

"Don't worry about it," Eboni assured her, straightening her purple vest. Turning her garnet-stone gaze on the older monster, she added, "Are you okay?"

Something about the expression on the dark-furred bunny's face told Serinity that she was not referring to their nearly crashing into one another. The pixie felt her face flush slightly pink, and her cat ears folded back slightly as she glanced at the planks beneath her shifting feet.

"I… no, not really," she replied honestly. "I was… just thinking about what Miss Holly said back on the deck a while back…"

Eboni frowned thoughtfully, and Mocchi mimicked the expression for a bit. However, the pink monster soon broke out into a grin.

"Mocchi not worried, chi!" he declared, beaming. "Mocchi know Genki and friends are all safe! They strong, chi!"

Serinity blinked and stared at Mocchi, while Eboni smiled triumphantly.

"You're absolutely right, Mocchi," the black rabbit said brightly. "They can take care of whatever the baddies throw at them, just like us, right, Serinity?"

"I… y-yes, yes, you're right, of course," Serinity agreed, nodding slowly, a faint smile appearing on her face. Leaf-green eyes shimmering, she added softly, "Thank you for reminding me…"

"Hey, no problem. We've all got to stick together, right?" Eboni grinned, then turned to Mocchi and said, "C'mon, let's go visit Hare, okay? Race you!"

Without waiting for an answer, the dark-furred bunny spun around and took off, leaving a startled Mocchi to chase after her.

"That's not fair, chi…!"

Serinity blinked in surprise as she watched the two race away, then smiled faintly in amusement, verdant eyes wavering.

"Thank you," she whispered softly, before turning and continuing slowly on her way back up to the deck.

* * *

Hare sighed, holding his pendant gently in both paws as he sat on the edge of his bed, staring down at the floor. The Phoenix's Tear felt a little warmer than usual, and he wondered idly if it was because it was still working to heal him. Whatever the reason, the heat it radiated was comforting…

__

* …I think Holly needs to be comforted more than me… *

The human girl's temporary loss of temper made more sense to the young rabbit the more he thought about it. Wasn't Holly the one who had helped keep the Searchers focused on their quest all during their journey…? She'd always taken it upon herself to remain strong, vowing not to cry when she had so much to weep about… Plus, with recent events, she must have felt so much stress and pain that it was only a matter of time before she had to find some outlet for her frustration and raging emotions…

Still, even understanding the logical reasons behind her outburst didn't help dull the pain that what she had said caused in his heart. He could pinpoint the cause of every word she said and still not make the hurt go away.

His grip on the Tear tightened, his breathing became more ragged as he felt the same haunting images flash through his mind again…

__

The sadness in Golem's gentle gray eyes as he walked into the waiting ocean…

__

The coldness in the towering monster's ice blue eyes as he glared down at his struggling captive…

__

The cruelty in the shadowy temptress's deep jaden eyes as she motioned for somebody to come closer…

__

The dimming of the light in the dying lupine monster's eyes as he gazed out dully over the shattered landscape…

"…Hare, chi?"

The concern in Mocchi's eyes as Hare emerged from his half-trance to see the youngest rebel standing in front of him, gripping the tan rabbit's hands in his own.

Eboni was beside the pink monster, and the same expression was on her face as she asked, "Hey, are you okay?"

Hare blinked a few times, both to recover from his troubling thoughts and to clear away the tears beginning to form in his bright brown eyes before his two friends could notice them. After a while, he managed a lopsided smile.

"I'm fine," he replied, hoping neither could tell that he was lying through his teeth.

__

* Yeah, you're supposed to be a fantastic liar, right? That's what Tiger always claimed… *

Hare winced inwardly and told his inner voice to shut up before it caused him to break down again. Amazingly, it listened.

He could tell by the doubt that flickered briefly in the eyes of his friends that they were not wholly convinced. Hare returned their gazes steadily, silently pleading with them with his large, wavering brown eyes to just let it go, that he really didn't want to talk about what was wrong right now.

Finally, Eboni spoke up, breaking the silence that hung over them.

"…You wanna take a walk around the ship or something?" she offered, running a paw through her ruffled bangs absently. "I mean, if I had to stay cooped up in this room all the time, I'd go nuts!"

"Tell me about it," muttered Hare, a slightly ironic, lopsided smirk on his face.

The tawny-furred bunny was not certain whether or not they happened to be aware of the fact that he had been out of his room earlier: he figured not. Unless Holly had talked to them, and told them to check on him… which he doubted. Holly would have come in on her own to talk to him…

With a smile that was partly forced and partly genuine, Hare nodded agreement and got to his feet.

"Sure thing, let's get going."

Mocchi and Eboni grinned widely, exchanging a quick, triumphant glance. Hare noticed this and masked a knowing grin of his own. They were trying so hard to cheer him up, he couldn't help but at least act as if they were helping. They _were_, a little, but…

__

* …If only the others were here… safe… *

Shaking his head slightly, Hare trailed after Eboni and Mocchi as they exited the room, lost in his own thoughts again. He absently gripped at his bandana, feeling the warmth radiated by the crystalline tear hidden under its crimson folds.

* * *

A gentle sea breeze stirred the pixie hybrid's short orange-red curls as she gazed out toward the surrounding ocean, a faraway look in her leaf-green eyes. It was like she was losing herself in the endless expanse of waves, leaning against the railing with her head resting on her folded arms.

Holly watched her in silence for a long moment, trying to figure out her next move. The human maiden desperately wanted to apologize to her pixie friend, but didn't know where to begin. How could she undo the damage her harsh exclamation had obviously done to the sensitive monster? What words could she possibly come up with to ease the pain she had inflicted so thoughtlessly when she lost control of herself?

"…Hi," she finally greeted Serinity softly, walking up to stand beside her. It was as good a place to start as any.

Serinity glanced over at her, allowing Holly to glimpse the way her leaf green eyes wavered with emotion, before shifted her gaze back to the surrounding sea.

"…Hello," came the equally soft, timid reply.

Silence hung over the two females for several seconds, the only sound the quiet whisper of the ocean waves as they bore the ship along.

"…Serinity, I…"

"Don't apologize."

"…What?"

The pixie hybrid seemed to pause, taking a slow, shuddering breath, then turned to face Holly, a gentle, understanding smile touching her lips.

"You don't have to apologize for what happened," she repeated softly, leaf green eyes shimmering as they caught and reflected the sunlight. "We've all been worried about Genki and the others since they left. It must be especially difficult for you, since they've been by your side for so long… Suezo is your partner and childhood friend, and Genki… he's also been your friend for some time, hasn't he?"

Holly nodded in numb agreement, grateful that the pixie hybrid wasn't attempting to imply anything more than friendship. She got that enough from some of her other friends as it was…

"You and I are alike, you know," Serinity went on, her smile now tinged with more than a hint of wistful sadness. "We've both been separated from dear friends… only it surely must be harder for you, because of all that's happened… but we both have to trust that our loved ones are safe."

Bronze eyes briefly met verdant ones, and Holly suppressed a gasp as she realized that Serinity was speaking about more than simply Golem, Genki, Suezo and the other rebels. With a sudden pang of insight, the human girl realized that the pixie was also concerned about the safety of her home, the valley.

It made perfect sense the more she dwelled on it: the forest where she and Golem had lived was unequipped to handle any sort of assault. The pixie hybrid and her kin had, after all, been murdered in a huge battle long before the Phoenix rose… and with Moo on the rampage, there was no guarantee that the small, peaceful village of monsters would be safe, would remain undiscovered…

Holly had always believed that Serinity had come along simply to find her childhood friend, Golem. Now, she gazed silently at the pixie hybrid as if truly seeing her for the first time, wondering…

Serinity seemed unaffected by Holly's staring, her leaf green eyes shifting back to the surrounding waters, idly smoothing her windswept hair with her fingers.

"It's perfectly alright to miss them," she whispered softly after a moment, so quietly that Holly wasn't even certain whether she was addressing her or simply thinking aloud. "But we must never lose hope in finding them again, else all is lost… we must continue the quest for their sakes, if nothing else…"

"…Yes," agreed Holly, impulsively reaching up and feeling where the Magic Stone rested hidden underneath her shirt.

Slowly, lifted the magical talisman up out of hiding and cupped it in both hands, taking comfort in the familiar position. Serinity watched quietly as the human girl closed her wavering bronze eyes. A few feet away, the three youngest rebels watched as well, two understanding the significance of Holly's posture while the other, less traveled member remained unaware.

"What's she doing?" Eboni queried, glancing at first Mocchi, then Hare in confusion, wondering why they suddenly looked so much happier.

The tawny-furred bunny met her gaze and smiled, a genuinely pleased smile for once, and put a finger to his lips, shushing her. He then pointed back towards where Holly and Serinity were standing.

Shrugging, Eboni turned her gaze back to the pair, and abruptly stiffened, garnet eyes widening into saucers. The black rabbit could now clearly see the pendant cupped in Holly's hands – or rather, the _glowing_ pendant that _floated_ just above the human girl's cupped hands. She gasped, and the quick looks she shot at her two beaming friends informed her that this phenomenon was something they had expected, even wanted to have occur…

Slowly, tentatively, the young Evil Hare smiled as well, deciding that if the others saw this as something wonderful, then it simply had to be so. Besides, anything that seemed to jolt Hare out of his depression was more than welcome to her…

Alan stomped grumpily across the deck, bucket and mop in hand again, throwing angry glares over his shoulder at a grinning Captain Horn. Suddenly, a glimmering light at the edge of his vision caused the blue-gray haired boy to pause, and he turned to see something small and glowing in Holly's hands. He stopped, sapphire eyes widening slightly, and watched in confusion, as did the pirate commander behind him.

Holly was unaware of all of the eyes fixed upon her: her thoughts were focused entirely on the Magic Stone, on the question she silently asked it.

She was only vaguely aware of the fact that her pendant glittered with a radiant silver aura for a few heartbeats, yet she still smiled at its appearance, knowing what it symbolized.

Hare, too, saw this and grinned, gripping his own pendant tightly with one paw. Glancing down at the crystalline tear, he saw a brief flicker of silver in its normally crimson depths. With that small, brief flare came a new sense of hope, of determination found anew.

His mind's eye played out the image of Golem walking into the ocean again, yet this time, Hare viewed it in a new light.

__

Maybe I've been seeing it the wrong way, he told himself silently.

_* Maybe it's supposed to mean that in order to find Golem, we have to cross the ocean. *_

__

* Maybe, by leaving the port town, we'll end up being able to find him again before we hook up with the others… *

Gripping the Phoenix's Tear tightly, Hare looked up toward Holly and Serinity and past them to the waiting waters that spread before their craft, smiling bravely, hopefully.

__

* Maybe… just maybe… things aren't going as horribly as we thought… maybe we can make it through this… *


	21. Temptress Golden General

* * * Episode Twenty-one: Temptress – Golden General * * *

A dark form glided silently through the night sky, blocking out the light of the stars as it flew over the still land. The modified Iron Bird was smaller than most of the other crafts in Moo's army, yet this did not detract any from its imposing nature. The vessel had been especially designed for the sole use of one of Moo's generals, crafted to suit the desire of the monster known as the "golden general".

The title symbolized many things about its bearer. Any who laid eyes upon her would instantly recognize the first: her clear skin was a deep shade of saffron, and often seemed to shine brighter than the finest gold. Golden, too, was her short blonde hair, and her eyes had the appearance of twin pieces of glittering jade.

However, her stunning beauty only served as a poor mask of her true nature.

For all of the general's radiance, her heart could also have been spun of the same glittering metal: cold, unfeeling, and unyielding to anyone. She was seen as untouchable, unattainable, and yet her followers, entranced by her loveliness, sought after her favor constantly.

At the moment, the golden general was lounging in her chambers on board the Iron Bird, relaxing. She felt no anxiety, knowing that her servants were taking care of guiding her craft to its destination while she relaxed.

Besides, even if the fools did end up crashing for some unforeseen reason, she could escape easily, leaving behind the rest to die in a heartbeat. Their lives meant nothing to her; they could easily be replaced.

Reflexively, slender, fine-boned fingers reached up and stroked gently over her right cheek, and the woman's jaden eyes narrowed slightly, darkening with both hatred and remembrance. Slowly, her fingertips traced along a smooth, thin line, one that appeared in the darkness to be little more than a slight shadow on her lovely face.

The scar was almost unnoticeable, really. Just a slightly darker yellow than the rest of her pale golden skin, the small mark didn't particularly stand out unless attention was directed toward it, or you happened to know already of its presence. Even then, it did little to detract from the overall impression one got from her: a pristine beauty, a vision of golden radiance that many of her followers lusted after, despite knowledge of her past as a seductress. The dark deeds of her past meant nothing to those who had fallen under her spell…

…But just because the scar she bore on her right cheek did not deter her followers did not mean that it meant nothing to the golden general.

She despised the ugly thing. To her, it symbolized nothing less than an ungodly flaw in her perfection. Never mind that those under her command still praised her unmatched charm constantly: after all, she would have instantly killed any of the puny lackeys who dared to say otherwise.

It was a flaw. A horrible, glaring crack in her once perfect porcelain face, the single sign that she was… breakable.

Proof that even the golden general could be touched.

She grimaced, dark verdant eyes flashing at the memory. Everything had been going so well… she had the rebels at her mercy, the little rabbit locked away and helpless to do anything other than watch as she tortured two of his friends for her own entertainment. How could things have changed so suddenly…?

She knew, of course, exactly who was to blame. She knew exactly who would face her divine retribution, all in good time…

Vanity looked up, a cruel smirk twisting her full ruby lips.

She knew exactly who would be her first target when she arrived…

* * *

Genki dashed down the twisting corridors at full speed, once again wishing heartily that he could use the skates strapped onto his backpack to make better time. However, he knew all too well that the rocky ground in the caverns wasn't well suited to his preferred method of transportation – especially since he had wiped out several times before while attempting it.

Even without the aid of wheels on his feet, however, the boy was still managing to move at a good clip. Soon, his intended destination was within sight, and Genki grinned as he skidded to a stop behind two of his friends.

"Hey Coltia, Suezo!" he greeted the pair loudly.

They didn't look the least bit surprised to see him, having heard his rapid approach echoing down the natural hallways, but both still returned his smile.

"What's all the rush about, kid?" Suezo queried, the expression on his face a mixture of annoyance and amusement. "Something wrong?"

Despite his mocking demeanor, there was something in the tone in which he asked his question that seemed to suggest that the eyeball monster would not be the least bit surprised if something bad was happening. Genki quickly shook his head.

"Nah, nothing's the matter," he assured his friends with a grin and a wink. "C'mon, Suezo, you've gotta stop thinking so negative all the time…"

"Yeah, you're right, Genki," chimed in Coltia, mirroring the boy's grin. After a moment she added, in a much softer voice, "Nothing's wrong. In fact, I think things are actually starting to go right for a change…"

Genki and Suezo nodded agreement, neither wanting to challenge the thought that their situation was beginning to steadily improve.

The arrival of some desperately needed backup in the form of Chishi, Yuri and the Cabalos still loyal to Grey Wolf had helped raise morale. Suddenly, it didn't feel like they were fighting alone against an unconquerable opponent: they had allies, others willing to lay their lives on the line for the sake of the pack and their home.

It was far from a cure-all, however. Not all of Grey Wolf's pack enjoyed the idea of fighting alongside former baddies. To some, it seemed all too convenient that the purple lupines had shown up when they did. They regarded the newcomers with suspicion, wondering how the Cabalos had been able to locate where they lived… and show up just in time to play saviors to them…

Still, allies were allies, and the defenders weren't exactly in a position to pick and choose who got to fight alongside them. Moo had a seemingly endless supply of warriors to fall back upon, and even with Chishi's own followers standing alongside them, no one dared believe they could outnumber the baddies.

But… that didn't mean that Genki thought they couldn't drive the baddies back and force them to keep retreating. If they kept it up long enough, the clear-eyed youth was certain that they'd find some way to solve their biggest problem…

Maybe it was idealistic, but Genki kept hoping that one day the sieges would stop at the source. Moo was attacking Tiger of the Wind's home, his family… and Genki chose to see that as an indication that the tyrant's control over the blue wolf was not foolproof.

__

- …Back in the fortress… Moo wanted to shoot Hare with his lightning, but he didn't. Tiger was able to stop him. If… if we can just drag this out long enough, maybe Tiger will find the strength to fight Moo off again! There's no way that Tiger will let Moo destroy his own pack, they're his family! -

Genki kept telling himself that time and again, stubbornly, like it was a mantra, a charm that might one day prove key to winning this war. No matter what Scaler said – what any of the others thought – Genki refused to give up on Tiger.

__

- He's still there, I know it! We just have to find a way to free him… -

"…Ah, there you are."

Genki, Coltia and Suezo all turned to see Grey Wolf striding up to them, long silvery tail swishing behind him.

"I've been looking for you," he told them. "Lucky for me you all turned out to be in the same place."

"What's up, Grey Wolf?" Genki asked, giving the silver-furred lupine a curious look. "You want to hang out with us, too?"

Grey Wolf smiled at this, but, much to the clear-eyed boy's concern, the pleased expression did not last long. Instead, the wolf turned away and motioned with his head for the others to follow him.

"We need to talk… away from my pack for now…"

Genki blinked, while Coltia and Suezo exchanged a nervous glance behind him. They followed the silver monster through the caverns in relative silence, knowing that it had to be a pretty serious matter if Grey Wolf had decided to not let his pack know right away.

They didn't have long to dwell on this before they arrived at their destination: a sizeable cavern, the one they had rested in for a bit after they returned. It had become a sort of unofficial war room for the Searchers, convenient in that very few of the pack wolves traveled past the somewhat secluded chamber. They had taken to developing their – admittedly few – battle plans in here, as well as discussing matters they had chosen to keep private.

Scaler was there waiting for them, already in his typical position for their meetings: leaning against an outcropping of rock with his arms crossed over his chest, looking utterly disinterested. But his violet-brown eyes glittered as they raked over the others, letting everyone know that he was paying full attention.

"What's this all about?" inquired Suezo, looking back and forth between the scaled hare and the silver lupine.

"What do you think it's about?" Scaler retorted sarcastically, giving the eyeball monster a mildly amused look. "The enemy's latest activities, naturally."

Before Suezo could start fuming at the insult, Coltia piped up, "What activity? I haven't noticed anything…"

"Yeah… Moo hasn't done anything lately," Genki agreed, also looking confused.

"That's exactly what I mean."

Genki, Coltia and Suezo all gave the green rabbit a blank look. Scaler shook his head, looking mildly exasperated.

"What Scaler means is, this is the longest Moo's left us alone since he first started this assault," Grey Wolf explained, not wanting Scaler to become too annoyed with the other rebels. Concern lit his blue eyes as he went on, "I've been getting a bad feeling about it."

"Now that you mention it, it has been a while, hasn't it?" queried Coltia, tapping a finger against her chin as she adopted a thoughtful expression.

"Yeah, the last attack was almost four days ago," Suezo added, "and that was when…"

"…When the Cabalos showed up," Scaler finished for him, violet-brown eyes gleaming under his bangs. "After they appeared, Moo's soldiers retreated, and they haven't made an attempt since then."

"…Does this mean…" Coltia started, caramel eyes widening.

"No, they aren't gone for good, Colt," Grey Wolf interrupted, then he winced at the sight of the hope in her eyes fading. "Sorry. I almost dared to believe that was the case too, but the scouts we sent out reported that they're still camped out a few miles away, and that Moo's fortress is still there."

"Darn," Coltia pouted, crossing her arms and sulking. "I wanted to get back to the others…"

"We all do, Colt, we all do," Suezo replied, looking both resigned and upset.

"So they haven't withdrawn completely, but they haven't attacked again, either," Scaler went on, regarding the others with dark, thoughtful eyes. "Moo must be waiting for something before making his next move… we should be cautious."

Genki frowned, crossing his arms stubbornly over his chest.

"But…I don't get it," he complained. "If Moo's planning something, why isn't he still attacking us? I mean, it doesn't make any sense…"

"Yeah, 'cause if he was plotting something, wouldn't he try to hide it from us by acting normally?" added Suezo, mirroring Genki's frown with a thoughtful grimace of his own.

Grey Wolf nodded agreement, adding, "We're not the only ones who have noticed the delay, either. Some of my friends are beginning to complain that something is definitely wrong. Unfortunately, a few are blaming the Cabalos."

"What?" Genki chorused with Coltia and Suezo.

"Why?" the girl added, looking distraught.

"As I noted before, the last attack was the same one where the Cabalos showed up to help," Scaler reminded them. The same neutral expression remained on his face as he continued, "It is very likely that there is some connection. The exact nature of this link…? Hard to say. It could be that the purple wolves are still in Moo's employ…"

Genki's frown deepened, messy bangs shading his clear brown eyes as he leveled an angry, warning glare at the cloaked rabbit.

"…Or they may be sincere in their desire to help us, but Moo is playing upon their status as former warriors under his command to broaden the gulf between our own defenders and their pack," Scaler finished evenly.

Genki blinked, the hard look vanishing at once, replaced by one of surprise and mild amazement. Suezo, Coltia and even Grey Wolf appeared mildly startled as well. Scaler ignored their shock completely, shrugging it off.

"I suspect the latter," he continued, gazing at each of his stunned companions in turn and bringing them back to reality. "If they were still under Moo's control, he would have sent them to crush us outright, or would have continued the attacks normally while they tore us apart from within. As it is, I believe that they have turned against him. However, Moo would like us to think otherwise, since that would diminish our ability to present a united front before his soldiers…"

"United we stand, divided we fall," Grey Wolf muttered, blue eyes going colder than ice as he shook his head slowly.

Scaler nodded once, letting the slight motion speak for itself.

"…Great," Suezo said sarcastically, rolling his eye in disgust.

"Hey, don't worry, gang, I'm sure it'll be fine," Genki spoke up, flashing his teammates a confident grin. "There's no way we'll let the baddies break us up, right?"

"Right!" echoed Coltia, forcing a smile of her own.

"Sure, kid," Grey Wolf said, more slowly than the girl. Determination glinted in his eyes as he added, "Moo will _not_ take anything else away from us… not ever again."

Scaler remained silent, his only response a slow, slight nod of his head as he studied the rest of the group with half-lidded violet-brown eyes. His face remained neutral, arms still crossed over his chest, leather cloak concealing most of his body.

Suezo took a long look around at each of his companions, just as quiet as Scaler was being for once. For a moment, if anyone happened to look into his green-gold eye, they would have seen clearly his doubt and growing dread flickering in its depths. However, he blinked suddenly, and a slow, forced grin appeared on his face.

"Right, Genki," he said, nodding in agreement.

* * *

Weed stood nervously on one of the decks on board Moo's floating fortress, wringing his vines together as he waited and watched the craft that had just landed. Even if he had not known already just whom his master had summoned, the Iron Bird's design would have given it away.

His gaze traveled up and down the ship's figurehead, which depicted a lithe pixie poised to spring into flight, wings spread wide across the front of the Iron Bird. It was of flawless design, incredibly detailed – right down to the Moo symbol emblazoned on the front of her tunic, directly on her chest.

He heard the dull whoosh of the Iron Bird's doorway opening, and gulped as the living model for the ship's decoration stepped into view.

Golden General Vanity glared down at the quivering plant monster with narrowed jaden eyes, not even bothering to disguise her disgust. Adjusting the edge of her fancy tunic briefly, she swept her blonde hair backward with a single brush of her hands and strode down the ramp towards the lackey, flanked by several of her own minions.

Weed fought to hide his fear, but couldn't conceal a shudder as she stood before him, the eyeball monsters that served as her guards waiting silently nearby. The purple plant threw a glance toward the one closest to him: a Suezo/Naga hybrid. The violet-skinned eyeball stared back at him dully, and Weed shivered again at the glassy sheen of the guard's golden iris. He knew exactly what it meant, and it scared the wits out of him…

"…Are you going to take me to where Master Moo is waiting, or do I have to find him myself?" the golden general asked disinterestedly.

Weed yelped, breaking out into a sweat at her cold tone.

"Y-yes, follow me, right this way," he instructed quickly, scurrying ahead of her.

Vanity waited until the lackey's back was turned on her before allowing herself a slight, satisfied smirk: she didn't want to let the Weed know that his fear amused her a bit. Not that it would have mattered if he had known, but she didn't like the thought that he might somehow mistake her amusement as pleasure in his company. Vanity had few doubts that the plant would be dimwitted enough to make such a stupid mistake: she viewed his entire breed as idiotic, almost as dense as the eyeball monsters that served her.

__

And the only redeemable trait of their kind is their intelligence-linked abilities, ironically enough, she mused, grimacing.

Then, she smirked again, jaden eyes glittering with cruel delight.

__

- It's a good thing for all of their kind that I exist. I give their pitiful existence purpose, transform them into something more than a sad joke for a monster breed. They have one worth in this world, and that is to serve me. -

They had reached Moo's chambers, and Weed pushed the massive doors open to admit her and her small group of soldiers.

"The golden general has arrived, master," he called out, then quickly shut the doors behind her and scampered away as fast as his roots could carry him.

"Humph. What a rude monster," Vanity huffed, glaring toward the now closed entrance almost as if she could see the Weed's retreating form through the thick doors. "He did not even wait for you to dismiss him, master."

"I'll let it go this time," said Moo, sounding vaguely amused. Mismatched eyes of gold and crimson gleamed slightly as he added, "Besides, my special instructions for you are not to be heard by any lowly servant just yet…"

The tyrant trailed off, eyeing the small band of eyeball monsters that surrounded the pixie hybrid protectively. His golden general smiled, catching his hint.

"I doubt that will be a problem," she whispered, ruby lips twisting into a knowing smirk.

Then, Vanity abruptly thrust her hands out, and golden-tinted lightning surged from her fingertips out into the unresisting bodies of her guards. The eyeball monsters jerked and twitched convulsively as the electricity shot through their bodies, yet not a single one attempted to escape, not even a single scream of agony. Soon, the arcing energy died down, leaving the smirking Vanity standing in a circle of lost discs.

"There. Problem solved," she said lightly, clasping her hands and assuming a mock innocent pose, smiling brightly.

Moo's rumbling laughter echoed through the chamber, and the tyrant favored his chosen commander with a pleased look.

"Ah, your ingenuity never ceases to amaze me, my golden general," he complimented her, a cruel smile twisting the visible side of his face.

"You are too kind, my lord," replied Vanity, executing a respectful bow. Looking back up towards the tyrant, she asked, "Now, what service does the powerful Moo wish of this lovely follower?"

Moo just grinned, exposing gleaming white fangs, as his mismatched eyes glittered with anticipation.

"As you already know, a small team of the rebels have been assisting the wolves in the defense of this canyon. They have been struggling for some time to try and save their precious… _friends._"

The titan sneered this last word, lips curling slightly in derision.

"While I must admit that their tenacity is impressive, it is also quite annoying. They appear to be either unable or unwilling to face the fact that the situation is hopeless for them. There can only be one outcome to this battle, yet they press on, driving back my soldiers. This has helped weed out those unsuited to serve as warriors, naturally, but I feel that they are becoming too cocky. Especially their leader… that boy…"

Vanity nodded in silent agreement, jaden eyes narrowing thoughtfully as she regarded her commander. Her lips twisted into a knowing smile: she had a feeling that she already knew what the tyrant was driving at, yet remained quiet, patiently waiting.

"I plan to shatter that clear-eyed child's spirit before breaking his body. You, my dear golden General Vanity, are to speed this process along. I am growing weary of the game, and want you to deliver one of the crushing blows before I end it. I trust you understand exactly what I mean."

The pixie just smiled, bowing extravagantly towards Moo, one arm folded before her chest. Looking up at her master through a veil of dark blonde bangs, Vanity nodded once, dark verdant eyes practically glowing with anticipation.

"Of course, Master Moo," she replied, voice dropping into a sultry whisper as she added, "It will be a pleasure…"

Moo returned her cruel smile, the blood-red eye of his half-mask glittering brightly.

"I trust you will get the job done quickly…?"

"As you wish."

Vanity stood, pivoted on her heel, and strode into the shadows, vanishing through the doorway in a flutter of silken garments and golden sparks. Moo gazed at the spot where she had disappeared for a few seconds, a dry chuckle rumbling in his throat.

* * *

The golden general walked forward calmly, ignoring the lowly monsters she passed by on her way back to her craft. Many stared after her, yet she failed to spare any even the slightest glance; she had more important things to focus upon than some impolite lackeys and soldiers who gaped so rudely at her.

__

Although I can certainly understand why they would feel so inclined to stare, she told herself silently, smirking.

Arriving at her Iron Bird, she slipped lithely into its main chamber, causing all of the eyeball monsters waiting there to automatically turn toward her. Again, the amount of steady gazes fixed upon her body failed to faze the pixie hybrid, as she was perfectly used to the dull glassy sheen of her servants' eyes.

"You, come," she said bluntly, pointing at one.

The indicated monster, a Melon Suezo, instantly stood and, in a flash, teleported to her side. The green-skinned monster gazed up at her silently, as did the others, awaiting her next command. Vanity glanced around and pointed at several more, indicating that they should come to her side at once.

After she had picked out several guards, the golden pixie nodded, seemingly satisfied with her selections. Dark green eyes narrowed into slits, she concentrated, and her silky voice rang out clearly in the minds of her chosen servants, piercing through the fog she had enshrouded their thoughts with herself.

__

- Out. Take me out to where the wolves are making their stand. Now! -

With a collective flash of light, the golden general and her entourage of guards vanished, leaving behind the rest to wait in complete silence for the return of their mistress.

* * *

Materializing on a ledge above one of the entrances to the caverns, Vanity scanned her new surroundings disdainfully, a faintly disgusted expression on her pretty face. She and her small band of followers were standing at a distinct vantage point: there was a niche deep enough here that most of her guards could crouch in the shadows while she got a good look around.

"How… quaint," she observed mildly, sarcasm oozing from her icy tone. "But then, I suppose they are mere dogs, and could get used to living anywhere…"

She paused as the sound of footsteps approaching caught her attention, and sprang nimbly back into the cover of darkness, while sending a silent command to one of her guards. A dark-skinned eyeball monster with a dark crimson pupil leapt forward, interposing his body between the potential threat and where his mistress crouched in the shadows.

Moments later, a Daton rounded the corner. Reddish electricity already sparkled faintly around his horns: he had heard something coming from this area, and had come to check it out fully expecting a soldier of Moo.

He was not disappointed.

The canine's blue eyes widened a fraction as they rested upon the eyeball monster, which lunged at him with its mouth gaping open. Dodging nimbly to one side, the pink-and-yellow-furred wolf blasted his foe, and the Red Eye's lost disc clattered to the ground.

The Daton began to smile, but the expression was only half-formed when it froze on his face. His blue eyes bulged, filling with pain and surprise that quickly faded to a blank, empty stare as he crumpled. The newly formed hole in his chest sizzled as the remnants of the golden-tinted bolt of energy that ended his life faded away.

Vanity waited until the Daton's body had finished its transformation into a lost disc before stepping forward, fingertips still glowing faintly as she dropped her hand back to her side. Staring down at the smooth pair of stones, she smirked, then jabbed her heel into the top of one.

"You should have served me better," she hissed, kicking the lost disc aside.

It struck the wall and shattered, the pieces falling to the ground. Vanity smirked, then turned away, motioning for the rest of her guards to come to her side. They did so quickly, none sparing even the barest glance towards the remains of their former comrade as they circled around their mistress.

"That should get their attention," observed the pixie mildly, one hand resting against her hip as she glanced around at the surrounding network of tunnels.

Sure enough, she could hear footsteps pounding ever closer, many more than she had heard before, accompanied by shouting.

"What was that?!?"

"It came from over here--!"

"This way!"

Vanity bowed her head and smiled, waiting until she was certain the wolves were coming closer to her location. Abruptly she snapped her head back, and her haughty laughter echoed through the caverns. The pounding became even more intense, and as the first of the investigators rounded the corner, she sprang nimbly away, appearing to vanish into midair while the rest of her companions scattered.

The lupine gasped, able to glimpse only several blurs of movement darting in all different directions, and she howled, "Intruders! Moo's soldiers have gotten inside the den!"

One of the eyeball monsters leapt toward her, and she yelped, jumping aside. Whirling to face it, she managed to fire a torpedo attack at the suezo before it recovered from its failed attack, frying it where it stood.

"What happened?!?" another lupine monster demanded as he arrived on the scene, followed by several others.

"Some of the baddies have gotten inside," the first repeated, giving the newcomers a haunted look. "I-I couldn't tell how many…"

"What?!?" cried a Datonare.

"Damn!"

"Alert everybody! We can't let them escape!"

The wolves scrambled in separate directions, each howling wildly and shouting out warnings as they began the desperate hunt. Somewhere nearby, Vanity heard the alert and smirked coldly, enjoying the growing panic.

__

- Let them search all they want; all they'll find are those worthless eyeballs. Let those fools draw the fire for me: I know exactly what I came for, and I plan to retrieve it and leave quickly. -

* * *

"So much for Moo not attacking in a while," Scaler commented, violet-brown eyes dark with frustration as he got to his feet.

Genki and Grey Wolf nodded agreement, both matching the scaled hare's anger. Coltia and Suezo had both gone pale, and the girl leapt to her feet as well.

"N-no!" she gasped, and sprinted off towards the chamber's entrance.

The other Searchers did not need to ask where she was headed. They could tell from the stricken expression on her face that her thoughts were focused primarily on the younger members of the pack, those who would be less able to defend themselves if any of the enemy discovered them…

"You had better go after her, Suezo," suggested Scaler. "After all, she's worried about all the helpless members of our group…"

Blades glittered in both of the cloaked rabbit's paws, and he darted past without another word of acknowledgement toward the other Searchers. Suezo was too upset to feel insulted just then, and gazed nervously at Genki as the boy attempted to catch his balance from nearly getting knocked down.

"You'd better go help Coltia round up the rest of the pups," called Grey Wolf, rushing past as well. "Be careful!"

"R-right! You too!" Suezo replied, managing a nervous nod toward the silver-furred lupine's departing figure.

He wasn't entirely certain if Grey Wolf was able to hear him or not. Genki managed to recover, and moved to rush after the others.

"Genki!"

The boy paused, glancing back at Suezo with an expression that combined curiosity, concern and annoyance.

"What is it, Suezo?"

"Hey, uh… watch yourself, kid," Suezo warned. "I don't like this one bit… and remember," –here he abruptly smirked– "If you get yourself killed before we get back, Holly will get mad at me over your own mistake!"

Genki blinked, taken aback by the unexpected comment. For a moment, his expression wavered between indignation and shock, and then the boy burst out laughing, clear brown eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Same goes to you, Suezo," he retorted, then spun on his heel and was gone, chasing after Scaler and Grey Wolf and shouting, "Hey, wait for me!"

The eyeball monster stared at the empty space where the boy had been standing for a long moment. Finally, a sigh escaped his lips, and he turned away, shaking his head.

"…I was being serious, kid," he murmured, green-gold pupil wavering with concern.

Taking a deep breath, he then hopped in the opposite direction, as fast as his single leg could carry him. Suezo figured that he already knew where Coltia would lead any of the pups she found: the eyeball monster planned on meeting her there, hopefully after finding any stragglers the girl may have missed… before the enemy did.

Caught up in his own dark musings, he failed to notice a faint shimmer in one shadowy corner of the cavern, or that a glittering crimson slit appeared there a moment later as another monster opened his single eye just enough to watch his every move. The scarlet pupil followed Suezo's movements as the rebel left the chamber, then disappeared again, leaving the small cave completely empty.

* * *

A choked-off yelp was quickly followed by the dull thud of a lifeless body slamming into a stone wall, and a small flash lit up Vanity's face briefly. The golden general's lips were twisted in a pleased sneer, and her jaden eyes gleamed, giving her face the appearance of a demon in that brief moment of time.

Turning away from the new lost disc, her sneer became a snarl, and she hissed, "Where the hell are they? Why haven't I seen one of those damned Searchers yet? All I've run into are these worthless wolves…!"

She trailed off, feeling a small tug at one corner of her mind, and her deep verdant eyes narrowed slightly as she turned her attention towards the telepathic voice.

__

What? Vanity's voice snarled in the mind of her subordinate, and she got a clear image of the Red Eye cowering backward despite the fact that he was nowhere near her current position.

However, the stark feeling of fear was only temporarily, replaced by the emotionless, matter-of-fact drone of her flunky's own telepathic voice. Vanity was used to such reactions, rather enjoying the effect she had on her servants, and listened silently to the eyeball's report. The anger that distorted her face slowly faded.

"Perfect," she cooed both aloud and mentally.

Straightening her posture, she sent a terse set of simple instructions to the Red Eye, then cut the conversation short. Then, she reached out and touched the fogged mind of another of her slaves, exerting just enough effort to locate the one closest to her. At her command, the eyeball monster teleported instantly to her side, and she smiled as she reached down and stroked his green skin.

"Take me back," she purred, dark emerald eyes glittering as she stared down at the Melon Suezo's expressionless face. "I'm going to have a guest shortly, and I don't plan on keeping him waiting long…"

Something sparked briefly in the eyeball monster's clouded golden pupil, a glint of recognition. Then, in the next instant, both were gone. Vanity did not bother sending a summons to any more of her guards, leaving them to face the wolves and the rebels on their own.

* * *

Suezo stopped dead in his tracks as a cold chill ran icy fingers down his spine, and the yellow eyeball monster glanced around in confusion. Seeing nothing, he heaved out a heavy sigh, closing his wavering green-gold eye.

"…Too nervous. Just been here too long, is all…"

Something flashed into existence directly behind him, and Suezo froze, snapping his eye open. Whirling around to face the presence, he got the barest glimpse of a dull crimson pupil staring at him just before its owner's tail slammed into his. Suezo tumbled to the ground, knocked off balance by the blow.

"Wha-what--"

That was all Suezo was able to get out before the Red Eye's tail crashed into the fallen rebels' forehead, and the yellow eyeball monster slumped down, unconscious. The baddie stood over Suezo's body and closed his blood-red eye, and both vanished from sight in a flash.

* * *

"Down with the baddies!"

So saying, Genki kicked the enemy soldier he was facing right in the pupil. The Melon Suezo fell backward without even a single cry of pain, and then a knife blade found its mark in the monster's back and transformed it to a lost disc. Genki looked over at Scaler and grinned confidently, but the smile faded as he noted the grim, serious look on the cloaked rabbit's face.

"What's wrong?" the boy queried, tilting his head to one side as he studied his ally.

"All of the monsters we have fought here are suezo types," replied Scaler, violet-brown eyes narrowed thoughtfully.

"…So?"

"So I fail to see the point of this attack. If Moo wished to effectively ambush us in this manner, he should have sent several warriors instead of just this type of monster. The most efficient way to conduct this raid would have been to have them teleport the fighters in, then escape while they finished us off."

"Jeez, you don't have to be so morbid," Genki muttered darkly.

"He's right, you know," observed Grey Wolf, striding up to join them. "If they had teleported directly into the caverns with some of Moo's stronger followers, it would have been a lot harder to drive them back."

"So why didn't they?" Genki asked, huffing.

"Maybe that's what they were preparing to do," Grey Wolf offered, then explained, "I remember Moo used to use suezo types sometimes to raid fortresses or towns surrounded by enough defenses to give his forces problems. He would send a few in discreetly, in small numbers so they wouldn't be detected. They would then scout around for a place open enough to attempt a teleportation in later."

"Open enough?" echoed Genki.

"Teleportation into an enclosed area is extremely dangerous," Scaler informed the boy, keeping a neutral expression as he added, "Anyone attempting it would have to have a very good memory of the area. A single mistake could cause them to end up reappearing somewhere else in the room… or in the walls or some other solid object."

Genki and Coltia paled, while Grey Wolf nodded solemnly, blue eyes darkening.

"I know," the silver-furred lupine said quietly. "Moo lost more than a few scouts that way… fighters, too. That's why I always preferred facing my opponents head on instead of sneaking around…"

He shook his head in an effort to dispel the bad memories, then added, "So I think that's probably what happened here: Moo had some scouts try to sneak in and get a good lock around. Of course, it's much more effective when there are more eyeball monsters around to begin with, so the scouts wouldn't be noticed…"

"Yeah, but the only eyeball monster around here is Suezo," Genki commented, his cocky, self-satisfied grin returning.

Coltia and Grey Wolf joined him in laughing, but the girl soon trailed off, amusement replaced by growing concern as she glanced around.

"…Hey, where is Suezo, anyway?" she asked.

"…Huh?" Genki blinked at her, matching her confusion. "…You mean he didn't join you with the pups?"

"…No," Coltia shook her head slowly. "I haven't seen him since the alert was sounded…"

She froze, caramel eyes going wide, and she stared at the other rebels as she asked, "You don't think that… somebody mistook him for…"

Genki stared back at her, looking shocked, then shook his head quickly in denial.

"Nah, he's around here somewhere," he insisted. "We just have to find him, is all…"

* * *

Suezo groaned as he regained consciousness, and struggled to right himself, a task made difficult by his lack of limbs. Finally managing to push himself up using his tongue, he stared around at his unfamiliar surroundings, trying to make sense of them with his gradually clearing vision.

Dark, imposing walls came into focus first, towering over him, and Suezo gulped as he craned his neck back in a futile attempt to see where they met the ceiling. The shadows above him were too thick for even his vision to pierce through, and there was a heaviness in the air that seemed to press down around him, an almost tangible aura of despair that constricted his heart.

Breathing harshly, he struggled to compose himself, sternly telling himself not to panic, no matter how much he wanted to. Panicking would get him nowhere fast…

"Suezo…" purred a voice that seemed both terribly familiar and darkly alluring at the same time, sounding as if its owner was directly behind him.

Gasping, Suezo whirled around, pupil dilating with fear, only to see nothing but darkness behind him. Still, suddenly feeling horribly nervous, he continued to glance around wildly, uncertain of whether he wanted to catch a glimpse of what he thought was there or if he should pray he was mistaken…

"Suezo… I'm right here, my dear little yellow eyeball…"

He froze, paralyzed by a mixture of panic and disbelief, as a pair of slender fingertips brushed against the back of his tail, and the darkly compelling voice dropped into a chilling whisper:

"…My little slave…"

Slowly, almost automatically and without his own consent, Suezo swung his head around to face in the direction of the soft words. His single, green-golden eye widened as it met and instantly locked gazes with a pair of gleaming jaden eyes. He could not look away, though his mind shrieked with terror, warning him to run, to turn away, to attack, to do something other than stare into the golden pixie's… deep… shimmering…

Perfect ruby lips spread into a triumphant smirk just under the furiously blazing emerald eyes, as Vanity relished in her victim's mental struggle, his overwhelming terror. She could almost taste his fear, it seemed to hang in the air around him, filling their world even as she continued to pull him deeper and deeper into her carefully laid snare, clouding his mind once more with her charm. As much as the poor eyeball monster tried to escape, there was no hope for him now. He had fallen under her power once… now he would again… all she had to do, was reassert her control…

"You are mine, eyeball," she half-cooed, half-hissed, jaden eyes gleaming with both deadly allure and thinly veiled malice.

"No…please…" whispered her poor victim weakly, his green-gold pupil wavering with fear and unshed tears even as her power pushed deeper and deeper into his being.

In response, the golden-skinned pixie simply smiled, causing the eyeball monster to wince inwardly. He knew she was his enemy… knew what she was doing, what was happening to him… but still…

She was so beautiful.

__

- No… -

She was so beautiful.

__

- Please… somebody help me… I… I can't… don't want… oh Goddess, help me… -

She was so beautiful.

__

- …Holly… I… I'm so sorry… She… she's too strong… -

__

- Strong… and so beautiful… -

__

- …Holly… -

And at that moment, with a last burst of wild struggling still being forced back somewhere deep within him, the light in Suezo's green-gold pupil dimmed, replaced by an emotionless, glassy surface.

Vanity smiled, then began to laugh, the amused chuckling steadily growing as she gazed into her newly reclaimed slave's face, watching the last spark of free will fade. After a while, she couldn't resist tossing back her head and letting her laughter getting louder and louder, echoing around them.

The eyeball monster watched his mistress silently, face composed, neutral, even as a single tear squeezed out of the corner of his blankly staring eye…

* * *

Genki was beginning to get seriously worried. There was still no sign of Suezo anywhere in the caves, and none of the wolves he had asked had seen his friend either. He had finally decided to try looking around outside the caverns, thinking that maybe the eyeball monster had returned to his sentry spot.

But Suezo had not been on his ledge, either, and now the boy scanned the area around him with worried clear brown eyes, hoping to catch a glimpse of him.

"Suezo! Hey come on, where are you?" Genki called, cupping his hands around his mouth in an attempt to make his voice carry farther.

"Looking for someone?" a low, amused female voice cooed from seemingly out of nowhere, startling the rebels.

Genki spun around, and clear brown eyes widened with shock as they met the cool gaze of a pair of darkly glittering emeralds. The face they belonged to, while he had not seen it in a while, was all too familiar to the boy, and he struggled to conceal the cold wave of dread that went coursing through his body at the sight of her.

"You…!" he shouted angrily, jumping back and assuming a fighting position.

Vanity regarded him with amusement, a smirk twisting her blood-red lips, one hand on the side of her hip.

"Why, whatever is the matter, dear boy?" she asked, feigning surprise and sadness at his reaction. "Aren't you pleased to see me again? It's been a while…"

Genki frowned, glaring at the golden-skinned pixie. He remembered her all too well, and was far from happy at meeting her again. It was clear from the superior, smug expression on Vanity's face that she understood this perfectly.

"Oh my, you don't seem pleased at all! I feel so insulted!" she mocked, pretending to wipe away a tear from one of her cheeks.

The movement attracted Genki's attention, causing him to notice the scar on her right cheek. Vanity caught how his eyes widened a fraction, and grimaced, full ruby lips twisting into a pout.

"Ah, so you noticed," she commented, jaden eyes narrowing as she hissed, "You certainly must know how I got this little 'beauty mark', don't you, boy? The little rabbit or your precious _Holly_ must have told you, didn't they? I'm sure they must have told your little band all about how they were able to do… _this_ to my beautiful face…"

Naked fury contorted her face into a hideous smile, then abruptly vanished, replaced by a slow, smooth smile.

"Oh, but don't worry," she went on, a false lightness in her tone. "I've found that it doesn't deter my followers any. They still view me as their lovely golden goddess… each and every last one of them."

The air directly beside her seemed to shimmer, and a new form materialized. Genki felt his eyes widen, and knew from the triumphant smirk on Vanity's face that his horror showed plainly on his now pale face.

The pixie smiled down at the boy and draped her arm around the newcomer's back, glittering jaden eyes drinking in the sight of his terror-stricken face.

"Genki, did you find…?" Coltia called, running up out of the caves to join her friend, Scaler and Grey Wolf directly behind her.

All three rebels stopped short, freezing in place as their gazes fell upon the sight of Genki standing in front of a smiling pixie hybrid. They could see clearly the Moo medallion pinned on her fancy-looking outfit, as well as the fact that she was standing directly beside a motionless Suezo, arm hooked around him.

They could also see the same medallion pinned securely on the eyeball monster's new collar.

Coltia gasped, covering her mouth with both hands and taking a step backward, shaking her head slowly. Grey Wolf looked torn between rage, sympathy, and outright shock at what he was seeing. Scaler, meanwhile, glared at the eyeball monster, fingering a pair of sharp blades under the folds of his cloak.

Suezo gazed back at them emotionlessly, green-gold pupil foggy, not even showing the barest hint of recognition or remorse. Beside him, Vanity laughed mockingly.

"I just thought I should let you know, your former friend is back where he belongs," she informed the rebels, smirking. Dark emerald eyes glinting, she purred, "Don't worry, I'll take very good care of him. Besides, at least you know that this way, he won't share the same fate as you poor fools!"

Scaler's arm blurred as he whipped it back abruptly, sending the pair of knives he had drawn lancing toward the pair. Before anyone else could react, Suezo leapt in front of the golden pixie and narrowed his eye into a slit.

The blades appeared to halt in midair, then clatter to the ground directly at Vanity's feet, causing her to laugh again at the stunned rebels.

"It's not going to be that easy this time," she intoned darkly, fixing them with a piercing glare. "In case you haven't heard, I'm Master Vanity, the Golden General now. You rebels are all going to pay for what happened before, especially that girl Holly, once I get my hands on her… pity she's not here. Ah well. I suppose my vengeance will simply have to find other outlets until then…"

She appeared to look directly at Coltia as she said this, and the girl repressed a frightened shudder, shrinking back. Vanity sneered, then tossed her head back, brushing back her blonde hair haughtily.

"Expect to see me again soon. Until then, ta-ta!"

Vanity raised her hand in a short wave, then blew a kiss at Genki as she and Suezo teleported away, leaving the Searchers alone on the ledge.

A heavy silence hung over the four remaining rebels, as they slowly recovered from the shock of what they had just witnessed. Coltia slowly looked around at her companions, trying to make sense of everything. Genki was staring at the space where the general had been standing, clear brown eyes wavering. Grey Wolf bowed his head, a shadow falling over his troubled blue eyes. Scaler had his arms crossed over his chest, violet-brown eyes narrowed, a solemn expression on his face.

"…So now we have a traitor to deal with as well," he intoned darkly.

Genki snapped his head up and whirled to face the cloaked rabbit, eyes bright with tears.

"_NO!_ You're _WRONG!_ Suezo's not a traitor; Vanity's just controlling him! She's forcing him to do all of this!"

"Doesn't matter. It amounts to the same thing," Scaler replied, fixing the boy with an icy stare. "Now that he is on Moo's side, we have to deal with someone who knows our strategies, habits, and base well. Now, it doesn't matter if we eliminated all of the scouts before: he still has someone who knows the caverns."

"But…but Suezo's not even that good at teleportation!" blurted Genki, desperate to deny what he knew Scaler was implying.

"He got us here, didn't he?"

"………"

Genki stared at Scaler for a long moment in silence, fully aware of the fact that a pale-faced Coltia and a stunned Grey Wolf were watching. After a while, the youth bowed his head, messy brown bangs falling over and shading his eyes. Grey Wolf shifted, turning away from the sight.

"…I'm going to go let the pack know," the silver-furred lupine said slowly. "We have to be prepared, in case Moo does attempt that sort of attack. I doubt that he could pull it off, since most of the caves are too small, but…"

He strode away, back into the caverns. Scaler glanced over at Genki, then turned his back on the youth as well and followed after the wolf, leaving Coltia alone with the boy. Coltia shifted nervously, wondering what she should do.

Genki seemed unaware of her presence, however. He suddenly dropped to his knees, let out an aggravated shout, and slammed his fist into the hard ground. Startled, Coltia yelped and jumped back, then watched silently as Genki continued to pound the dirt uselessly, fighting back tears.

"Suezo… Tiger…" the boy choked, shaking his head, his bangs still casting his downcast eyes into shadow.

Not knowing what else to do, Coltia dropped to her knees at his side and wrapped her arms around his shaking shoulders. She felt him stiffen at her touch, but did not pull away, instead gently stroking his back with one hand.

"Genki…" she murmured, trying to figure out what she could say to ease his pain.

Words escaped her, save for some half-hearted reassurances that she knew he would likely see through. So, for once, Coltia remained silent, just clinging to Genki and listening to the boy's anguished cries. It was obvious that he was struggling to contain himself in her presence, not wanting her to think him weak, but she didn't mind.

"We gotta save them," Genki murmured, shaking his head repeatedly, returning Coltia's hug with a strong grip of his own. "We've gotta find a way…"


	22. Malestrom Ocean General

* * * Episode Twenty-two: Maelstrom – Ocean General * * *

__

Pulsing, pale blue walls surrounded the hulking monster on all sides, giving off a weak cerulean light that cast rippling shadows over his looming body. Waves of light and darkness traced over a thick, firm chest, muscular arms, and hands large enough to crush somebody in their huge palms alone.

__

His solemn, stoic face, so emotionless it might have been carved upon stone, was tilted upward, and cold eyes the same shade as the moving walls gazed up at seemingly nothing at all. The figure was utterly silent, unmoving, so that it was almost a match for the massive pillar beside it.

__

This pillar appeared to be constructed of the same strange material as the surrounding chamber's walls: a gelatinous substance that somehow remained firm enough to stand on its own, solid yet constantly moving and shifting as if correcting minor flaws in its own structure, always strengthening itself.

__

The strange monster finally stopped staring toward the unseen ceiling, instead shifting its cold gaze to the column directly in front of it. Its shadow-wreathed face was reflected in the pale blue surface: at first, only those horrible blue eyes could be glimpsed, then slowly more of the cold, composed face began to appear…

* * *

Hare sat upright with a start, panting, clutching the blanket that had been covering him tightly with both trembling hands. A few droplets of sweat rolled down his face and off his messy, sleep-tangled bangs, and the young rabbit let out a sigh of frustration.

"…Great. Just great," he moaned, tossing his blanket to one side and swinging his feet off the edge of his bed.

Covering his face with one of his paws, Hare groaned again, softly this time. The last thing he needed was one of the others running in to see what he was making so much noise about… that would cause too many questions, ones he did not feel ready to answer just yet.

Once again, the face of the strange monster that kept appearing in most of his dream-visions lately had eluded him. All he was left with were impressions of certain details – that the stranger was tall, strong, muscular, and had cold, harsh ice blue eyes that managed time and again to pierce through the shadows that always seemed to mask the monster from him.

Hare knew, somehow, that this mysterious monster had to be connected to their quest in some manner. Probably as an enemy – even the thickest of shadows could not conceal the sense of menace he felt washing over him every time he glimpsed him in his nightmares. He was certain he was watching one of Moo's generals, and yet…

__

* There's something else… something about that guy I just can't place… Why… what is it that I keep sensing…? What… what is it about that stranger, that area… *

__

* Walls… living, breathing walls that look – feel like jells… and that pillar… That… *

Another moan escaped Hare's lips, and he brought up his other hand to his face as he felt a dull pain wash over him. A faint pulsing at the back of his mind…

__

Just a headache, he told himself, fighting back the urge to slump back into bed, pull the cover back over his body, and shut out the world again.

Instead, the tawny-furred rabbit gritted his teeth, waiting until the pounding faded away again, willing it back. He could not afford to keep letting his own problems hold him back… not while the others were working so hard to continue the quest…

Holly's attempts to locate Golem using the Magic Stone were not going as well as they had first hoped. That first time she had tried it, shortly after her frustrated explosion on the ship's deck, she had managed to get it to shine silver for a few heartbeats… then it had faded again. Still, that brief flicker had done wonders to rekindle the hope in the girl's beautiful bronze eyes, and she had assured the others that they were on the right track.

Yet so far, all her pendant had done was point them forward, giving no other indication of how close they were to their goal – to finding their friend. Each time she checked, the silver image would glimmer in the Magic Stone's surface all too briefly before dying out again… never as strong or bright as Hare remembered the image of the Phoenix being during their first quest, though he kept this observation to himself.

__

* Is it because our group has changed so much? After all, we all used to gather so closely around Holly when she asked the Magic Stone to point us toward the Phoenix… and since we were – we ARE all connected to the firebird… Mocchi, myself, Suezo, Golem and Tiger… *

Hare winced, screwing his wavering brown eyes shut so that the tears he felt threatening to brim would not come.

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* Now… only Mocchi and I are still here… Would it be stronger if Suezo had stayed with us instead of leaving with the others…? *

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* …No… no, forget that. Thinking like that… won't help things any… Besides, Suezo had to go; he's the only one who could teleport them back… *

__

* …Never mind that he's not exactly the best at doing that in the first place… *

Shaking his head, Hare got to his feet. The pounding in his head had lessened, and he wanted to find the others. Maybe if he could talk to Holly… even if he couldn't tell her all of his suspicions, there was a chance just talking to her might help him work out some sort of plan…

* * *

"…Can't believe this…of all the stupid, no-good… None of the others have to put up with half the crud I get from him… Righteous Pirate my…"

The Worms sweatdropped and pretended to ignore their human partner's mutterings, focusing instead of helping clean the floor. The silver-haired boy was obviously in a dark mood, and having been sent to tidy up the lower decks of the ship was not helping…

"…Damned slave driver, that's what he is… Can't wait to get off this stupid boat. Let _him_ be the one cleaning this rig up for a change…!"

"…Um, Alan?"

"What?" the boy snapped, whirling around.

Hare cringed backward in the face of the swordsman's anger, a rage that faded as Alan realized who it was. The boy blinked, visibly calming, and an almost apologetic look appeared on his face.

"Oh… Sorry 'bout that, Hare. What's wrong?"

"Nothing… I was just wondering if you happen to know where Holly and the others are," explained Hare.

"Eh, they're probably up on deck," Alan replied, turning away again and gripping the handle of his mop tightly. A dark shadow fell over the boy's glittering sapphire eyes as he muttered, "Lucky them… They don't have to worry about some stupid eyeball monster yelling at them to get back to work…"

Sweatdropping slightly, Hare decided that the best course of action would be to leave Alan and his Worms in peace and see if the others were outside. As he started to head back up the stairs, the dull throbbing of his headache returned, but he stubbornly forced it out of mind. He had more important things to think about…

Under his kerchief, the Phoenix's Tear began to glow a little brighter.

* * *

Holly leaned against the smooth wooden railing, bronze eyes shimmering faintly as they gazed out at the seemingly endless expanse of ocean. One hand was cupped gently over the Magic Stone: it felt cool under her palm, a reassuring presence.

"Has there been any change in what the Magic Stone says, Holly?" asked Serinity, looking over at the human maiden.

Holly shook her head slowly, giving the pixie hybrid a gentle smile.

"Not yet," she replied. "I guess that means we're on the right track, doesn't it?"

Serinity nodded, and Holly turned her gaze back toward the sea, wishing she were as confident as she tried to sound. After all, the Magic Stone kept telling them to head further and further across the ocean, so they had to be on the right track… _right?_

As if sensing the girl's hesitation, Serinity turned away and focused on watching Mocchi and Eboni as the pair chased each other around the deck. Her verdant eyes glimmered with happiness: with everything else that was happening, at least two of the younger Searchers were able to find enough time to relax…

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- …Even with so many of their friends being so far away… -

Her smile faltered slightly, but Serinity quickly pushed thoughts of their missing members out of mind and instead looked around for any sign of their other companions. No matter what, she would believe that Genki, Grey Wolf, Scaler, Suezo and Coltia were alright, and that they would someday find one another again.

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- That's right… Just like we'll find Golem, I'm certain of it… -

Then her leaf green eyes lit up as she noticed a familiar figure standing at the doorway to one of the cabins.

"Oh, good, Hare, you're awake," she called, getting up and starting over to where the tawny-furred bunny was standing. "Are you feeling better…?"

Holly turned around, mildly surprised to see Hare up and about. A flash of guilt ran through her as she recalled how she had seen him shortly after losing her control for a moment. That brief breakdown had seriously effected him: while he hadn't exactly retreated back to his small room and hidden there, she had noticed that the young rabbit had avoided her for a short period of time – just until he appeared to assure himself that she was feeling better.

Still, it hurt Holly to think that she had pushed her friends away, even if it was only for a short time. Silently, she promised herself that she would try to avoid such an incident again. She had kept her own doubts and fears hidden away for a long time before; she could do it again now for her friends' sakes…

She followed Serinity, her face adopting the familiar comforting smile she normally wore when trying to soothe her friends.

"Hare, how are you…?" she inquired.

The tawny-furred bunny glanced over, a bright smile lighting his face as he spotted them walking closer. Turning to face them, he took a step forward, opening his mouth to reply-

-And abruptly froze, brown eyes widening into orbs, one paw clutching at his bandana tightly.

Holly and Serinity stopped short, startled by the expression of stark terror and shock that had suddenly appeared on their friend's face.

"H-Hare…?" Serinity whispered, verdant eyes filling with confusion and concern.

That was when the tan bunny collapsed, folding over like a dropped rag doll, clutching at his head and sobbing wildly.

Holly was only dimly aware of the fact that she cried out his name as she stumbled over to his side, or of how Serinity, Eboni and Mocchi shouted in shock as well. Crouching next to Hare, she watched in shock as the youngster moaned and shuddered, clutching his bandana in a death grip with one paw while the other clawed at the wall he was slumped against futilely for support.

"Hare! What's wrong?" she cried, barely able to keep her grasp on the rabbit's quaking shoulders.

Hare could not reply, moaning and wailing as tears trickled down his pale cheeks. But even if he could have found the words to describe what he was seeing and feeling, it was doubtful that he would have let the human maiden know anyway.

The worried eyes of the other Searchers were locked on his ghostly pale face, so they failed to notice that the pendant he was clutching in a death grip was glowing with a pale saffron light instead of its normal crimson.

They did not share Hare's 'gift' for visions, so they had no clue what was playing out before his widened, horrified brown eyes. They did not realize that Hare's gasps were all the terrified bunny could choke out of the protests and screams that echoed endlessly in his mind.

They had no way of knowing that miles and miles away, at that very moment, a cruel temptress was renewing her hold over one of her previous victims.

Finally, the furiously burning spark of saffron light in the heart of the Phoenix's Tear flickered out, fading away completely as the far away struggle ended.

Hare's shuddering lessened, though tears continued to trickle silently from his eyes as he closed them, breathing raggedly.

"…S…Suezo…" he whispered mournfully.

Gradually, he reopened his eyes to find the other Searchers staring down at him. Holly was supporting his head in her lap, and Hare felt another wave of agony course through him as he met her worried chestnut eyes.

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* …Holly…*

"Hare, what happened?" blurted Eboni, garnet eyes still holding some of the same terror she had felt when she first heard her friend screaming and saw him stumble.

"…I…"

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* No…I can't let them know… I can't let Holly know…! *

"…No-nothing," he said shortly, pushing away from the others and forcing himself to stand on shaking legs. "…I'm… I'm just not feeling well… 's all…"

Hare knew it was a pathetic lie, could see from the surprise and concern on the faces of all of his friends that they knew something much more serious was going on. However, at the moment, as he pushed past them, that did not matter. All that mattered was getting out of sight before the terrible pain clutching at his heart made him burst into tears.

"…Hare… Hare, wait!" Holly called, getting to her feet and following him into the cabin.

Eboni and Mocchi started forward as well, as did Serinity.

However, they did not get the chance to take more than a few steps forward when another problem abruptly presented itself.

A column of water exploded into midair several feet away from the ship, and waves buffeted its sides, sending its passengers sprawling.

Eboni and Mocchi clung desperately to both one another and the railing before them, somehow managing to keep a tight grip on each other's hand. The dark-furred rabbit strained to pull herself forward, forcing wavering garnet eyes open and scanning the deck.

"Everybody okay?!?" she shouted, cry all but lost in the roar of the tossing waves.

Serinity moaned, pushing herself up against the mast. The pixie hybrid had been thrown backward and slammed into the looming pole when the first of the aftershock hit, and her bruised legs refused to support her trembling body. Soaked orange-red bangs fell in dripping locks over her face, masking the way her verdant eyes fluttered as she fought for consciousness.

A shadow began to spread slowly over the deck, unnoticed for the moment by the disoriented rebels and pirates.

* * *

Holly was in little better condition. The human girl had pitched forward, nearly tumbling down the cabin steps. Thankfully, she had only suffered having her side collide sharply with the doorframe, and was crumpled on her knees, clinging to the frame with both hands, staring down at Hare, who had suffered a similar fate when the waves struck.

"H…Holly… are you a-alright?" he gasped, pushing himself off the floor and throwing her a worried look.

His bandana had slipped, exposing the now violently glowing Phoenix's Tear, which had afforded him a bit of protection, but the ship had pitched so suddenly that the young bunny had no time to cast even the simplest shield around any of the others.

Holly nodded gingerly, struggling to her feet by leaning against the wall. Reaching down with one hand, she helped Hare stand as well. Outside, she could hear a loud commotion, as others scrambled around on deck to see what was happening. Throwing a glance toward the open door, she gripped Hare's shoulders tightly.

"Stay here," she instructed, then turned and half ran, half stumbled out to the deck, leaving a very confused and upset Hare crouching in the shadows, slamming the door behind her.

__

* Does she really expect me to wait here with all that screaming going on outside?!? *

He started forward, then hissed in pain and slumped to his knees, clutching at his forehead as another sharp stab of agony shot through his being. His head was throbbing again, a terrible suffering he knew somehow stemmed from a much darker source than the shouting and panic outside…

* * *

Holly raced out onto the deck and froze in her tracks, chestnut eyes widening with shock as they took in a scene she never would have imagined. At first, she thought that the very waves themselves were rising up and crashing over the wooden floor, only to realize that water could not shape itself and attack the way the slimy blue creatures that flooded the deck were doing. Then she gasped as recognition struck.

"Jells?" she gasped, scarcely able to believe it.

Sure enough, the monsters currently invading the ship were Jell troops, each bearing the symbol of Moo on its translucent chest. However, these warriors were a far cry from the ones she recalled from her early adventures. The blue gel monsters oozed over the deck and attacked their opponents with deadly precision, sliding past the counterattacks with an eerie ease. Those attacks that did strike true seemed to barely effect their adaptable bodies.

As she stood there, temporarily too stunned to react, one of the Jells spun around and spotted her. A terrible sneer twisted his face as he swung his arm back, morphing it into a long whip, and brought it streaking down upon the startled human.

"Holly, look out!"

Eboni slammed into the Jell's side, knocking it away. Panting, the dark-furred bunny spun to face Holly.

"You okay?" she asked, scarlet eyes wild under her messy bangs. Without waiting for the girl to stammer out an answer, she went on hurriedly, "Mocchi's using his Blossoms to blow them back into the water, but–"

"The water?" Holly echoed, staring around in shock.

"Yes, the water," Eboni repeated, quirking an eyebrow slightly at the surprise in the girl's voice as she shot a quick look around. "Where else would they be coming from out here?"

"But…how could they…"

As if in answer to her query, the boat jerked slightly, and Holly turned her head toward the source of the pulling just in time to see four more purebred Jells yank themselves onto the deck. Eboni also saw this, and gritted her teeth in frustration, scarlet eyes burning.

"Oh, great… Mocchi, cover me!" she shouted, and the dark-furred bunny charged toward the new arrivals.

"Chi!"

A cloud of pink flower petals surged down to surround the four Jells, and the baddies whipped around in confusion, squinting in an attempt to see through the blizzard. Eboni punched out the first one she came to, knocking it overboard with a splash. Then Mocchi landed beside her, and the two young rebels continued to push their opponents back, struggling to repulse the attack.

They were just two little monsters, however, and there was no way that they could continue to hold the enemy back forever. Thankfully, as Holly scanned the deck, she could tell that most of the pirates had clambered onto the deck to help out in the fight as well, and were also driving the baddies back into the ocean. She even managed to catch a glimpse of Captain Horn standing by the wheel, smashing any Jell who drew too close with his tongue.

However, she could not see where Serinity was.

"Serinity?" she called the pixie's hybrid's name, the sound of her voice all but drowned by the battle raging all around her. "Where are you?"

A flash of green light caught her attention, and Holly gasped, then ran toward the source.

* * *

"What are you doing here? Please, keep away!" begged Serinity, tears blurring her leaf-green eyes as she took a few shaky steps backward.

The purebred Jells just sneered at her, twisted grins distorting their faces as they began to close in on what they thought would be easy prey.

They were quickly disabused of that notion when the pixie hybrid pointed glowing fingers toward them and a storm of tiny verdant light streaks arced toward them.

"Get away, get away, get away!" Serinity repeated over and over again, firing her Scattershot technique in time with her frantic chanting.

If the Jells had remained standing and allowed the tiny bolts to strike them, they would have quickly figured out that the attack was not as powerful as it first appeared. She was not putting enough strength behind the blasts to injure, and it would have taken a great deal of the volley hitting the same monster all at once for them to even be stunned by the maneuver.

None of the baddies stuck around long enough to realize that. If nothing else, Serinity's magic was having its intended effect of merely driving her foes away without seriously harming them.

However, this thought was of little comfort to the pixie.

She had believed – falsely now, she understood – that being out on the ocean provided them some shelter from Moo and his minions. That she and her friends would have time to rest, relax and continue their quest without fear of being besieged by baddies. That they would have a short period, no matter how brief, of relative peace before returning to the journey proper.

The appearance of the Jells had shattered that simple wish into pieces.

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- It doesn't matter where we go… there will always be fighting… suffering… -

"…rinity!"

The pixie hybrid looked up to see Holly waving at her. Somehow, she found the strength to stumble over to the human maiden. For an instant, they locked gazes, each finding understanding and sadness in the other's solemn expression.

"…It won't ever end, will it…?" she murmured, averting her wavering verdant eyes to the planks beneath her feet, unable to glance around at the carnage surrounding them.

"………"

Holly gazed around: the jell monsters appeared to be pulling back in full now, some diving into over the edge rather than risking getting knocked overboard later by the pirates and rebels – or being killed. But she knew that the pixie hybrid was referring to much more than this single, short skirmish on the ship.

Eboni and Mocchi shoved back the last of their opponents and fell back to where the two girls were standing. The dark-furred bunny swiped one arm over her sweaty forehead, scarlet eyes flicking around in search of some new threat.

"Okay, so where the heck did they all come from?" she wondered aloud. "I mean, one minute, we're sailing along, happy as can be, and then BAM!"

It was at that moment that another pillar of water shot up from the churning waves. This time, however, the shockwaves did not buffet the boat as badly, though several of the rebels stumbled as they attempted to keep their balance.

"W-what?" gasped Holly, as she whirled to see the cause.

Bronze eyes widened in shock as they swept up a towering, muscular body, one that appeared almost translucent as the sun's rays beat down upon it. Sunlight also glinted off of the medallion pinned upon the rippling chest, but no light touched the aquamarine giant's strangely cold blue eyes…

Eyes that seemed to freeze Holly and her companions in place as they fixed the small group with their piercing glare.

"So… you are… the rebels," he murmured, the faint whisper rumbling like thunder in the cool sea air. His horribly frigid eyes raked over them, and his stoic face darkened as he said, "But I do not see the other one with you. Where is he?"

"Ah…ah…ah," gasped Eboni, the only one able to find her voice at the moment.

The aquamarine giant's visage darkened further, the cruel eyes narrowing slightly as he straightened, his massive shadow falling over the small band.

"Tell me where the other one is. I am certain you would prefer that to forcing me to take this pathetic little toy apart piece by piece."

"How dare ya call me ship a toy?" fumed Captain Horn, and the pirate leapt toward the towering giant, swinging his tail around to strike the massive chest.

The baddie made no move to avoid the attack, simply gazed down expressionlessly at the blue eyeball monster as he impacted with his chest. Horn bit back a gasp as his tail struck the rippling muscles: while it looked soft like jell, in reality it felt as if he had just kicked a stone wall with full force.

Then, in a surprisingly fast movement, the aquamarine giant swept his hand back and swatted the pirate commander away, sending him crashing back down upon the docks.

"Oh! Captain!" Serinity cried, finding her voice.

"Captain Horn!" Holly shouted at the same time.

The searchers started to run toward their fallen friend, but barely had a chance to take a single step forward before the boat lurched again. As they struggled to keep their balance, Holly whipped around to see that the giant had slammed his fist into the water, causing several waves to batter the ship.

"Where is the bearer of the Phoenix's Tear?" he repeated in an eerily calm tone, icy eyes glittering faintly as he glared down at her. "I warn you, maiden who wields the Magic Stone, I despise being kept waiting. I know that the little rabbit is still alive somewhere on this ship. That is something I plan to remedy. Tell me where he is."

Holly just stared up at the monster in horror, while Serinity gasped and Eboni and Mocchi assumed fighting poses. Hurriedly, the human girl flicked a quick glance over to where she had told Hare to hide, praying that he wouldn't come out…

* * *

Hare gasped for breath, still lying against the wall and clasping the furiously glowing Phoenix's Tear in both paws. His head continued to pound agonizingly, and his eyes were screwed shut because everything was blurring so badly. The little rabbit's body was still shaking slightly, and his shoulders heaved as he fought back the mournful sobs that threatened to pour out of his silently working mouth.

__

* Suezo… Suezo's gone. *

For one instant, he had felt everything as the eyeball monster struggled to hang onto his very soul, as Suezo had fought to keep everything that made him who he was from being ripped away.

He had lost.

Hare had felt the last spark of his friend's spirit fade away, heard the eyeball monster's final wail of protest… knew who Suezo's thoughts had turned to as his spirit flickered and faded, leaving only empty darkness where it had once burned brightly.

Now Hare was left with the knowledge that his friend was lost forever, and he had been unable to do anything other than listen helplessly to his last cries for assistance.

As he clutched his pendant tighter to his aching chest, wishing feverishly that there was some way he could bring back the saffron light that had sparkled briefly in the crystalline teardrop, Hare became vaguely aware of the fact that a new aura was beginning to flicker around it. He could dimly see the soft glow through his closed eyes, and slowly opened them, lifting the Tear and staring at it dully.

A pale, silvery aura sparkled around the Phoenix's Tear. It was very faint, nearly drowned out by the constant crimson light that surrounded it, but it was still there.

Blinking back tears, Hare forced himself to stand. His legs shook slightly with the effort, and he leaned against the wall for support, still fighting back the urge to just collapse and keep crying.

__

* Suezo's gone… I can't help him now. But… but there's still a chance I can help Golem, if we can only find him in time…! *

His headache increased its pounding; Hare gritted his teeth and lurched forward, up towards the deck. He needed to find a way to help his friends, all of them…!

Pushing the door open, he froze, brown eyes widening as they instantly fell upon a creature out of his nightmares.

__

* He-he's…! *

The aquamarine giant appeared just as surprised at seeing the young bunny step out onto the deck as his friends were. The icy blue eyes widened just a fraction, and Hare stared up into the cold surfaces in shock, unable to tear his gaze away as a swirl of images flashed through his mind.

"You… you are…" he heard his own voice whisper.

The towering monster gazed down at him silently, frosty eyes reflecting both mild surprise and amusement. Hare inhaled sharply, as a startlingly clear image of Moo addressing this warrior flooded into his reeling mind, and heard the possessed tyrant say a single phrase.

"…You are Poseidon, the Ocean General," Hare echoed the words softly, glaring up at the aquamarine giant.

Holly gasped, startled by the young rabbit's abrupt use of the baddie's name. The other Searchers appeared equally surprised, but the enemy monster's only reaction was to nod shortly down at Hare.

"Correct," he rumbled, a phantom of what might have been a smile touching his solemn face for a heartbeat. However, the stoic expression was firmly in place as he went on, "You must be the little rabbit that holds the Phoenix's Tear."

"………"

Hare cupped his paws over the Phoenix's Tear, as a faint crimson aura instantly flared up around his body. At the same moment, he stepped closer to his friends, and the fiery shield spread to surround them.

The aquamarine giant simply continued to gaze down at them, studying the small group of rebels intently.

"If you're looking for some sort of weakness, baddie, you're not gonna find one!" Eboni piped up abruptly. Garnet-stone eyes blazing as they reflected the crimson barrier surrounding her and her friends, she glared up at the general and shouted, "So why don't you just back off! We beat your Jells, and we can beat you too!"

"That's right, chi!" Mocchi assented.

"Eboni! Mocchi!" whispered Holly, considerably more nervous about the dire situation then the two younger members were making themselves out to be.

Poseidon merely crossed his massive arms over his chest and regarded them with a faintly amused expression. Holly shivered as the giant's frigid gaze drifted over her and her friends again.

"…Children," he muttered, shaking his head slightly. "Mere children. A couple of bunnies, some pink whelp, a human maiden, and a fragile flower of a pixie… no wonder you were left behind when the rest went to fight against the master."

Eboni stiffened, looking outraged by his comment, while Mocchi frowned. Holly stared up at the monster in silent horror, as did Serinity.

"…Still, I can see you have spirit," Poseidon went on slowly. "If you were as weak as you look, you would have attempted to flee the moment I first attacked. The fact that you chose to remain and fight back… speaks volumes about you."

He paused, then abruptly turned away, much to the amazement of everyone on the ship. He began to stride off slowly, the sea rippling gently around his moving body.

"Hey, where are you going?!?" Eboni called, taken aback.

The aquamarine giant glanced back at them, and Hare inhaled sharply: the position the baddie was in was familiar in a way he didn't want to consider.

"You fought my troops off and forced them into retreat. I lost this time," came the simple reply.

The Searchers stared at the baddie, stunned. Poseidon merely shook his head, cold eyes glittering as they met and locked with Hare's once again.

"_This is far from over._ I expect that you will make plans for my return… I look forward to what defenses you will come up with. You are the first in a long time to actually resist me in my own domain… I trust you will make our next meeting worth the wait."

With that, a column of water shot up around the aquamarine giant, hiding his towering figure completely from view. When it receded, the ocean general had vanished, leaving those on the ship to stare at where he had been in silent awe.

"…What was the deal with him?" Eboni inquired after a long pause, turning curious scarlet eyes toward the others.

"Weird, chi," Mocchi said slowly.

Eboni nodded her agreement, biting the inside of her lip slightly.

"I don't understand…" murmured Serinity, wrapping her leaf-like wings tightly around her shoulders and shivering. "What he said… 'the first to actually resist him'? How… how many others has he…"

Holly shuddered as well, struggling to shake off the chill that Poseidon's icy stare had sent through her.

"Hare, how did you know what his name was," Holly asked gently, turning concerned bronze eyes on the tawny-furred rabbit.

"………"

"…Hare…?" Holly repeated slowly.

Hare did not reply, merely slumping to his knees where he stood. The other Searchers cried out in alarm: he did not hear their frantic shouts. The young bunny's wavering brown eyes were focused upon the crystalline teardrop still grasped tightly in his trembling paws.

The instant that Poseidon had vanished under the waves, the small glimmer of silver light in the Phoenix's Tear had ebbed away.

With it had gone Hare's one remaining hope that he would be able to do anything to help his friends. As he slumped to the deck, no longer even trying to remain conscious, a single, final sigh cut through his thoughts.

__

* …Hopeless… *


	23. The Cost

* * * Episode Twenty-three: The Cost * * *

"I see that your plan went perfectly."

"Of course, Master Moo," replied Vanity, bowing toward where the tyrant sat upon his throne. Raising her head just enough to see him through a veil of her own dark blonde bangs, she smiled cunningly and added, "After all, I merely followed along with your brilliant game."

"Yes, and now you have brought me another pawn to move exactly as I wish," he said, casting a glance toward the golden general's single escort.

Vanity's ruby lips twisted again into a knowing smirk, and she straightened, laying one slender arm possessively over her guard's side. The eyeball monster failed to react to the soft brush of her fingers running up and down the back of his tail, staring straight ahead into the shadows with his glassy, green-gold pupil.

The possessed monster once known as Tiger of the Wind gazed at his former ally's emotionless face, unaffected by Suezo's lack of response. Golden and crimson eyes gleamed together, as the visible corner of the titan's mouth curled into a slow, savage smile, briefly exposing jagged fangs.

"I've toyed with them long enough," he announced abruptly. "Every game must eventually come to an end, and those wolves no longer afford me as much amusement with their pitiful struggles. It's time that I reveal a bit more of my hand… and force them to realize that all along, there was only one possible outcome."

"Of course," cooed Vanity, nodding her agreement, watching her master with thoughtful jaden slits, a cold smile on her pretty face. "Simply tell me what role you wish me to play, and I shall fulfill it."

A dry chuckle rumbled from the tyrant, and he continued to gaze admiringly at his golden general, a shadow veiling his beastly grin.

* * *

Clear brown eyes shone with withheld tears as they gazed down upon the small object cradled carefully in their owner's hands. A single, beautiful feather of scarlet and gold seemed to glitter with its own inner light, yet one that appeared dimmer than normal to the young boy who held it so gently.

Genki's unruly dark brown hair fell in messy bangs over his forehead, casting shadows over his face. His expression was unusually solemn as he turned the glimmering feather over and over in his hands. A torrent of emotions tore at the boy: thoughts and feelings, memories of happier times that suddenly turned against him, warped by more recent events.

In his mind's eye, he saw himself leading his friends along on their quest for the Phoenix, laughing and cheering as he raced along the path… then abruptly, he turned to find no one else was following anymore, and he was staring into an endless expanse of darkness.

He saw, for a moment, Golem looking down upon him and smiling… then he was gone, replaced by an obviously distraught Serinity shaking her head and telling him that she had no idea where the stone giant was.

__

"No… He wasn't here when we were… reawakened… and I haven't seen him at all since… I hope he is okay…"

There were Tiger and Hare, quarreling, the young rabbit teasing the blue wolf about something or other… and then suddenly he was back at the fortress, and Hare was sprawled at the possessed Tiger's feet while the lupine laughed wickedly, blood dripping from his horns.

__

"I've done it! The wielder of the Phoenix's Tear is dying! Nothing can stand in my way now!"

Suezo was hopping alongside Holly, glancing around protectively, green-gold eye filled with his devotion and love for his partner… and that spark faded out of existence as the girl vanished, replaced with a golden-skinned Vanity who draped her arms possessively around the entranced eyeball monster and smiled cunningly at Genki.

__

"…Your former friend is back where he belongs… Don't worry, I'll take very good care of him…"

Genki gritted his teeth, fingers beginning to tighten around the scarlet-gold feather still cradled in his palms. For a moment, he saw Mocchi staring up at him, face beaming with pride… then that happiness was replaced with shock, sadness, an expression of hurt and betrayal as the boy's own words rang in his ears…

__

"No, Mocchi… you can't come along this time…"

"…All of my old friends are gone, or far away from here…" he muttered, bangs concealing the upper half of his face as he bowed his head. "…Hare's hurt, Holly's looking after him in that empty town, Mocchi's protecting them, Golem's missing, and Tiger and Suezo…"

His grip on the fiery feather tightened a little more; the scarlet-gold feather felt warm to the touch. However, it was a very faint warmth, almost unnoticeable. Suddenly, with a frustrated cry, he leapt to his feet and threw it to the ground.

"No way! There is no _way_ I'm going to let it end like this! There's gotta be a way to save Tiger and Suezo, and I'm going to find it!"

He stared down at the faintly glittering feather at his feet, then bent down, picked it up, and placed it back in his backpack. Whirling on his heel, the boy then fell backwards and stared up at the ceiling without really seeing it.

"There's got to be a way…" he repeated, eyes slowly beginning to close from exhaustion. "There has to be…"

His eyes closed, but it would be a long, restless night for Genki Sakura.

* * *

Scaler studied the edge of the blade he was working on with an expert eye, judging whether or not his sharpening of the knife had proved sufficient yet.

One of the difficulties of fighting with edged weapons was that the cloaked rabbit had to be extremely diligent about keeping every last one honed and at the ready. After all, on the battlefield, every last detail counted. Fighting with duller or weakened blades was an open invitation to disaster.

Also, despite his efforts to always immediately collect his thrown blades during or after a conflict, Scaler still ended up losing a few now and then for various reasons. Sometimes they were lodged in a lost disc's roots so tightly that he could not dislodge it, or part snapped off in the attempt, rendering it useless. Sometimes it simply got out of sight, and he failed to track it down later.

Then, of course, there were the ones he had given Genki and Coltia…

It was not a gesture of kindness or compassion rather than one of practicality. Being human, neither could call upon special techniques the way that Grey Wolf could use Lightning or the absent Serinity her healing magic. They possessed no built-in protection, like the armor plating that Alan's two Worm monsters had. This made them more vulnerable, easy targets for any of Moo's warriors.

In Scaler's eyes, any casualty that the tyrant's followers managed to inflict on the defenders, however small, was another little victory in Moo's favor. While he did not have much emotional attachment to his traveling companions, he was content in knowing that arming them gave the pair of humans a slightly better chance for survival. The rest was up to them…

Then, too, there was the fact that they happened to be friends of Hare…

Scaler's violet-brown eyes narrowed, a shadow falling over his face.

__

- Suezo happened to be one of Hare's friends as well… but that will not save him now… -

Another simple conclusion to make. Suezo had been a member of the rebels, but now he was working for the enemy, and that made him a traitor. No matter what Genki or the other rebels insisted, the eyeball monster was now nothing more than another enemy soldier, an opponent, a 'baddie', as they tended to call those who followed Moo.

Scaler finished honing the edge of the knife and held it up in front of his face, the shining blade reflecting his cold violet-brown eyes.

To him, Suezo was just another target if he came within range.

* * *

Saffron paced back and forth, long tail swishing behind her restlessly. A gentle rain was falling, and it was beginning to soak through her thick pink-and-yellow fur, only adding to her discomfort and frustration. The female Daton snarled softly under her breath, sapphire eyes gleaming with pent-up agitation.

"See anything yet, Toge?" she growled, resisting the urge to shout and risk giving away their position.

"No, Saff," came the not altogether unexpected reply.

"Urrrgh! I can't believe this! We know they're going to attack, so why the hell is it taking so long?!? I really need to fry some baddies before I go insane!"

"Maybe that's the whole point," Toge replied with a weak chuckle.

Saffron shot the Datonare a dirty look, then whirled around, turning her back sharply on her companion. Toge sweatdropped, and sighed as he went back to making his own rounds, focusing on the sky once more.

__

…The worst part about it is, he's probably right, the female wolf silently admitted to herself. _Ever since that one rebel was captured, the whole pack's been on edge…_

__

- …Was he captured or did he deliberately turn against us…? -

That deceptively simple question had been plaguing Saffron, along with most of her friends and family, for the past several days. There were fierce debates on each side – and sides had been formed, much to Grey Wolf's growing concern – and certain lines had been drawn. It had gotten to the point where Saffron herself didn't know what to believe: there were so many conflicting rumors and speculations.

It certainly didn't help that Grey Wolf and the other Searchers were mostly keeping their thoughts on the situation to themselves. The only one who had really said anything was Genki. The clear-eyed human boy was extremely vocal in his stubborn insistence of Suezo's innocence.

But was that because the eyeball monster really was being manipulated, or simply because Genki refused to accept any suggestions otherwise…?

Saffron could not be certain. Neither could any of the other pack members, a fact that was slowly taking them apart by the seams. Everybody was walking the razor edge of a knife, waiting for Moo to make his next move… for they all knew the tyrant would attack soon. It was only a matter of time…

"Saff… Saff! Over here, quickly!"

The female Daton turned and rushed to her friend's side immediately. She barely took time to glance at his concerned expression, instead following his rigid line of gaze into the distance.

For a few heartbeats, all she could see through the gradually intensifying curtain of rain were rolling storm clouds and the darkening sky. Saffron half-turned her head to level a cool glare at her companion, a sarcastic remark about the worsening weather on the tip of her tongue, when she became aware of it: a tiny speck of movement, a slightly darker spot than the rest of the canyon.

As she watched, narrowing her eyes and straining to make out more details, the Daton felt a shiver run down her back that was not caused by the cold rain pelting her fur.

"…Saff…" Toge whined beside her, though his pale yellow eyes remained fixed on the horizon.

"Quiet," she growled sharply, and the Datonare fell silent.

She never tore her gaze away from the horizon, even while she snapped at her friend. As the specks of movement broadened into a dark cloud moving along the ground, drawing closer enough for her to see the first of the warriors charging toward her home, Saffron took a few shaky steps backward. Toge noticed this, and hastily backed up alongside her, sparing the female lupine a frightened glance.

"…Looks like you just got your wish," he observed, in a curious, dead tone that she might have found funny in any other circumstance.

Suddenly, both whirled and took off in a dead run toward the heart of the canyon, howling an alarm as they bolted back to inform the others. Behind them, the ominous rumble of thousands of feet pounding over rock and stone was punctuated for an instant by a crash of thunder.

* * *

As alarmed cries and battle howls began to echo through the caverns, a slender figure materialized just above one of the main entrances to the cave and landed there in a single, fluid movement. For a moment, the feminine monster stood poised perfectly, arms spread wide almost in welcome of the hordes she knew would soon pour onto the rocky field of battle. Her head was thrown up, eyes closed, an ecstatic expression on her porcelain face.

Then Vanity turned slightly and gazed toward the darkening horizon, eyes narrowed jaden slits that sparkled and gleamed brighter than the jagged lightning that was already beginning to lance down from the heavens.

"Look, my master, can you not see it?" she exulted, arms still spread wide. "Even the very elements bow to your will! This must be your doing, all of it! Soon, the whelps will know the price of defiance!"

She laughed, but trailed off quickly as the battle howls became louder. Arms dropping back to her sides, she crouched in the shadows above the opening and watched as the first of the defenders tore out to meet the newest wave of Moo's warriors. A sly smirk spread over full ruby lips, and the golden general continued to watch in silence, waiting for the perfect movement to give her signal…

* * *  
  
"Let's rip it up!" shouted Genki as he charged forward.

Scaler and Grey Wolf had already long since vanished into the heart of the fray by the time the human boy got to the mouth of the cave. He paused there long enough to yank his skates on, although he was forced to move out of the way of the wolves behind him. Tightening the straps a little more, Genki stood up and was about to shout another battle cry before plunging headfirst into the fray…

…When a flicker of movement half-glimpsed just out of the corner of one eye caused him to whirl around in shock.

Nothing was there. The boy hesitated, uncertain: for an instant, he could have sworn that he had glimpsed a familiar figure, a smirking face…

A flash of yellow skin caught his attention, and this time Genki whirled around just in time to see a ghostly afterimage of the eyeball monster a few feet away, standing on a slightly higher section of the ridge.

"Suezo--!" Genki called out, running over as the wispy image faded away completely.

An amused giggle came from directly above the boy, and he whipped his head up sharply, squinting through the curtains of rain in a futile attempt to see its source. But even without the confirmation of his sight he knew exactly who it was.

"Vanity," he growled through gritted teeth, clear brown eyes blazing.

Again the mocking giggle echoed around him, and Genki spun around, fists raised and ready.

"Here… come here…" a female voice cooed from above him. "You want to see your friend again, don't you?"

"Coward!" Genki screamed into the rain, climbing up after the voice as it trailed into laughter. "I'll get you…"

"Will you now? Well, then, come on, little boy. See… I'm over here… Come on… Up here…"

Genki scrabbled up the cliff side, clawing for ridges and footholds where the path narrowed slightly. He couldn't see clearly enough to climb easily, blinded by both the rain that struck his reddened face and the white-hot anger surging through his mind. Yet that stubborn fury also drove him on, and soon the haze cleared enough to enable the boy to see where he was.

Vanity stood several feet before him, arms relaxed at her sides. A haughty smirk tugged at the edge of her crimson lips, and dark emerald eyes gleamed as they swept over the panting boy's figure.

"I knew you would come," she told him. "I suppose I should pretend to be impressed with your dedication to your comrades… At least, it serves me well enough."

Genki glared at the golden-skinned pixie, clear eyes startlingly cold. The general merely smiled at this.

"You want to see your dear friend Suezo?" she inquired, anticipating the boy's demand before he could open his mouth to make it. "Fine then. Suezo? Come out and play."

A flash of lightning illuminated the pixie's face as she sneered this command, and at the same instant, Genki darted forward, barely avoiding the eyeball monster as he appeared directly above where the boy had been standing. Suezo's glassy pupil glowed white-gold for an instant, and a blast of light seared the ground.

Vanity's cold laughter filled the air even as she sprung nimbly out of Genki's way, avoiding his swinging fists with a single graceful twist. She pirouetted once in midair, just out of the fuming boy's reach, and landed lightly on her feet some distance away.

"Have fun, you two," she taunted, jaden eyes glittering with amusement and malice. "Enjoy your little reunion while it lasts…"

"You--!" Genki shouted, spinning to face her.

Then Suezo's tail impacted the back of his skull, pitching his body forward and causing Genki to get a mouthful of rocks and mud. Spitting and coughing, he pushed himself up, vaguely aware of the taste of blood in his mouth as well.

Instinctively, he rolled to one side, and this saved him from getting slammed in the head a second time by the eyeball monster's attack. Genki kept rolling until he could get his feet underneath him, then pushed himself back up. He remained in a half-crouching position, one hand still on the ground, and stared at his opponent.

Suezo stood silently between the boy and the golden general, gazing at him with his glassy, green-gold eye. There was no sign of the sarcastic, annoying but loyal friend Genki had known – no sign of life at all. Like staring into the dead eyes of a corpse…

Behind Suezo, Vanity continued to laugh mockingly at him, dark emerald eyes gleaming with malicious glee.

"Oh, Genki, Suezo's been so anxious to see you!" she chuckled, a pleased smile on her face. "Suezo, why don't you show him more of the new tricks I've taught you?"

The eyeball monster inclined his head slightly in what might have been a nod, but Genki could not be certain. All he knew was that Suezo's pupil suddenly began to glow with gold-white light again, and suddenly a beam of energy shot forward, directly at the boy's chest.

"Whoa!" he cried out involuntarily, leaping to one side.

However, he wasn't quite fast enough, and winced as the blast of energy seared over his shoulder. While it didn't touch him itself, the sheer heat it radiated caused a nasty burn to almost immediately form on his exposed skin. Genki hissed in pain, grabbing his wounded shoulder with his other hand, and turned wide, horrified eyes toward Suezo.

__

- He…he figured out how to do that? He was struggling just to get Teleport to work…! -

Vanity smiled at the boy's shocked expression, and swept her hand up once in a signal to her slave. The eyeball monster's face remained impassive as he charged another blast…

* * *

Chishi grimaced as he scanned the chaos before him, dark golden eyes shining with rage and a deep sorrow. Anguished yelps and howls tore through the air, as blood continued to stain the ground, mixing with the mud that was quickly being created by the pounding sheets of rain. The cold water was already beginning to soak through his violet fur even as he stood at the edge of the caves, still staring outside…

"Chishi," murmured a soft voice behind him, somehow penetrating even the horrible uproar coming from the battlefield.

"Yuri," he answered simply, solemnly, not even glancing back at the female Cabalos.

She stepped up beside him, rubbed her face against his side, as mists from the torrential rain moistened their fur.

"…This battle is lost."

"I know."

"There is no possible way that we can stay here any longer."

"I know…"

She continued to nuzzle him, bringing her face up beside his. Chishi turned to face her, their gazes locking.

"You know what you have to do now," he said sternly, searching her face.

"I know," she replied, returning his gaze steadily, voice keeping its calm, collected tone.

Only he could hear the undercurrent of resignation in her voice, the ever-so-slight catch in her words. Only he could see the silent pleading in her deep golden yellow eyes, the sadness she struggled to keep masked… the farewell.

He leaned forward and rubbed his head against her neck, and she buried her nose in his thick mane. He felt a single drop of moisture hit his fur, one that did not come from the pounding rain outside.

Yuri pulled away first: Chishi knew better than to move before she did. To do so would have only undermined their resolve to follow through on this decision: it had to be her choice to move on. If he had moved first, it would only caused Yuri more pain. Neither could risk her deciding not to continue with what they had planned long ago.

"Go," he instructed her softly, both an order given as her leader and a request.

Yuri nodded, then turned away and swiftly ran down the corridor, deeper into the caverns, off to fulfil her role. Chishi gazed after her retreating figure, then turned back toward the entrance of the cave, ready to act his own part. In a blur of violet, he was bounding out into the fray.

* * *

"Is everything alright, Colt?"

Coltia knelt beside the shivering Daton cub and swept him into her arms, wishing she could just hold all of the pups huddled around her and make the whole world right again.

"I don't know," she murmured truthfully, squeezing her shimmering tan eyes as she tightened her grip. "I just don't know…"

The other young wolves milled around the cavern anxiously, all impatient to hear news from the battlefield. Those who had stayed behind to watch over them – and protect them, should the main fighters fail to do so – struggled with the same problem, though some were far more vocal about their impatience than others. 

"We should be out there fighting too," Saffron muttered under her breath to Toge, struggling to keep her voice low enough that the pups scattered around her would not overhear. "I can't stand this waiting…"

"This is what Grey Wolf assigned us to do, though," replied the Datonare, though his expression spoke volumes about his agreement with her.

"Waiting, waiting, waiting. I am freaking SICK of waiting!"

Toge shot her an alarmed look, and nudged the Daton sharply in the side while glancing around nervously at the others gathered there.

"Saff! Not in front of the children!"

He cringed at the dark glare she gave him, and waited for the violent rebuff he knew was coming next.

However, before the Daton could take her first swing, a flurry of movement at the cavern's primary entrance arrested the attention of both, as well as everyone else gathered there. All sets of eyes turned to fix upon a single female Cabalos standing there, fixing them all with a piercing stare in return.

"What…what's going on?" Coltia asked, standing up with the young Daton pup still cradled in her arms.

Yuri regarded the human girl with dark gold-yellow eyes, taking a second to swiftly reaffirm her self-control. Straightening her pose, she assumed all the dignity and poise that she used all the time as Chishi's second-in-command.

"Our defenses are failing," she reported curtly, ignoring as best she could the collective gasp and murmuring that instantly arose from those gathered before her. "At this time, I have been ordered to oversee your retreat and continued safety. We will be heading off at once. Everyone move!"

"…N…no…" breathed Coltia, hugging the now sobbing Daton cub to her chest.

In a daze, she heard the younger wolves howling and crying around her, seeming to rise into a collective wail of despair. A few voices cut sharply through the clamor: the fighters assigned to protect the cubs, ones who did not add their own curses and snarls to the uproar, but instead struggled to carry the hefty burden that had just been thrown onto their shoulders.

Through it all, Yuri continued to bark out orders, directing the small pack toward the back of the cavern. There were several passageways there that would lead to outside the canyons… Hopefully, Moo was not aware of their presence. Yuri was all too aware of the fact that only luck and skill would keep them alive… and that they would be extremely fortunate if any of those still battling to buy them time to escape managed to join them later.

The female Cabalos kept her face rigid, composed, refusing to let it betray any emotion she felt at the moment. Later, if they survived this, she could find time to weep over the loss. But not now… Not now…

* * *

The boy's body skidded backward, skin grating against gritty sand and rock, coming to a halt barely a few feet away from the cliff's edge. His assailant's green-gold pupil glittered faintly as he steadily approached his prey.

Vanity snickered, thoroughly enjoying the show her slave was giving her.

"You see, my dear boy?" she sneered at the human sprawled out before her. "This is one of the benefits your former friend enjoys while working for me. No eyeball monster possesses enough intelligence to use their potentially most deadly attacks on a high enough level to be truly effective. However, once they have accepted their subservience to me, I can sharpen those powers and enable them to use them properly. …Of course, it only works as long as they remain under my control, but it's not as if anyone has ever wished to stop serving me…"

She went into another bout of mocking laughter, one slender hand half-covering the side of her smirking mouth.

Clear brown eyes glared at the golden pixie in utter loathing. Genki ground his teeth together as he fought to rise, propping himself up slightly on one arm. The back of his hand rubbed over his mouth, wiping away a trace of blood.

His other hand, which appeared to be lying limply beside him, moved ever so slowly, fingers brushing lightly against the dagger Scaler had given him. He touched its carved handle gently, then tightened his grasp slightly, began to draw it out of its sheath…

The air before him blurred and then suddenly Suezo was directly over the boy, staring down at him with that same emotionless expression. Genki let out a pained choke: it felt as if a giant invisible fist was tightening around his already bruised ribcage.

But he would not scream. He did not want to indulge Vanity's sadistic desires any more than his suffering already had.

The golden general was still laughing, sounding somehow even more taunting, more hateful. Through a haze of pain, he heard her hiss something that sounded like a threat, but couldn't understand the soft snarl.

Then the pressure around his body seemed to explode, propelling him backward, sending him spinning end over end. Everything was rushing past him: the wind, the cliff side, the endlessly cloudy sky, the rain…

Another explosion of pain as his back struck something hard, and then darkness robbed him of all his senses, which was a blessing.

* * *

Grey Wolf cursed as he edged backwards, horns blazing with ice blue electricity. The dark-scaled saurians sneered as they closed their circle around the silver-furred lupine, certain they finally had him cornered. The bloodthirsty grins froze, then contorted as he unleashed his lightning upon them.

Panting for breath, Grey Wolf felt his legs start to slip out from underneath him, and hastily forced them to straighten out again. He needed to keep fighting… his friends, his pack, his home depended on his ability to keep himself alive… But he was tired… so tired…

Something plummeted to the ground mere inches away from the silver wolf, nearly landing directly on top of him. Grey Wolf barely managed to dodge out of the way, and whirled to face it, snarling as he attempted to summon another torpedo attack.

Then ice blue eyes widened in comprehension and shock as the wolf realized just what he was staring at.

The boy's body lay motionless where it had landed, and for one horrifying moment, Grey Wolf thought that the impact had killed Genki – if whatever had caused the human's numerous wounds hadn't.

Then he saw Genki's chest rise and fall unsteadily, and a faint moan passed the child's lips, accompanied by a thin trickle of blood. The boy stirred, gritting his teeth, attempting to push himself up, and for a moment it seemed as if his willpower alone would be enough to let him stand.

In the end, however, it was painfully obvious that his sheer willpower was taxed enough simply keeping him alive.

With a pained, choked gasp, Genki slumped back to the ground, and suddenly whatever paralysis that had held Grey Wolf in its clutches shattered. The lupine monster stumbled forward, pushing at the boy with his muzzle, urging him to rise.

"Genki, what happened?" he exclaimed, though he had a sinking suspicion that he already knew.

The boy took another shuddering breath, gazing dully at the sky and the cliffs ranging above them.

"…F-found…Suezo…" he managed to rasp out.

It was a shabby explanation, but all he could force out of his burning lungs. He wanted to say more, to blurt out everything he had seen and heard, to tell his friend exactly what had happened, but his lips refused to form the words.

Still, Grey Wolf appeared to understand. A whirlwind of emotions flashed through his pale eyes, then finally settled upon a chilling mixture of determination, frustration and outrage.

"Come on," he snarled, forcing his head under one of Genki's arms. "We have to retreat."

"N-no…I…" hissed Genki through gritted teeth even as he clung to the wolf's matted silver pelt for support.

His legs betrayed him, buckling beneath the boy and forcing him to grip his friend's fur all the harder. Some corner of his mind dully observed that the silvery fur did not bear its normal sheen. It was too matted with blood, sweat and rain to shine.

"Let's go," Grey Wolf growled, and lurched forward clumsily toward the caverns.

A blur of tan and green landed on Genki's other side, and Scaler was suddenly helping to support the boy, one arm latching tightly around his waist.

"There's no time," he spat when both shot him a quizzical glance. "We can't accomplish anything more here. We have to retreat."

Grey Wolf gave the scaled hare a pained look, emotions warring in his pale blue eyes. For a moment, violet-brown eyes rested on the silver lupine's grim expression, and Scaler shook his head once, firmly. The wolf's hesitation faded, replaced by an angry, frustrated snarl, and the three limped off, melting into the shadows, away from the raging battle.

The only recourse left was survival. For now, hanging onto their lives and escaping was the only way they could defy Moo.

* * *

A weak, sapphire-tinted thunderbolt lanced through the air, and Chishi grunted as pain racked his body. He sensed that had been his last Lightning attack: he simply did not have enough energy to change another blast.

The once-proud leader of a deadly pack of Cabalos was now barely able to stand on trembling, bruised legs. Blood, sweat and rain soaked his violet fur, and gashes marked the body hidden beneath the tangled mass. He limped forward a few steps, then fell among the rocks, no longer able to even pull himself forward.

Dull yellow-gold eyes swept over his surroundings: jagged rocks, lost discs scattered everywhere. No sign of anyone: no ally that might run uselessly to his aid, no enemy that might come and end his suffering for him.

The canyon had fallen. The aid he and his kin had offered their master Grey Wolf had not mattered in the end.

Chishi had never shed a tear in his life. From birth, he had been trained as a fighter, a warrior: first by his tournament-loving breeder, later by Moo and Master Grey Wolf. Emotions had been a weakness, and though he had later learned to at least express things like love and loyalty to his pack, crying was simply something he never did.

So the drop of liquid that rolled down his cheek now must have simply been caused by the pouring rain, or perhaps the gash just above his left horn.

As the light in his golden eyes began to dim, Chishi silently asked whatever gods that had not turned their backs on the plight of his kind to watch over those who had somehow managed to escape from the final assault… and to ensure that Yuri was with them.

As his battered body begin to glow with the sullen radiance that preceded death, it was no longer possible to tell what color his bloodstained fur had once been. In the last moment of his life, the factor that separated him from most of his kind no longer mattered.

* * *

A pair of clashing eyes swept over the remnants of the caverns. Moo's arms were crossed firmly over his armored chest, and he gazed serenely at the destruction before him.

All of the wolves had been killed, captured, or somehow managed to escape the nightmare at the moment. It did not matter much to the tyrant that some had slipped through his grasp. He knew it was only temporary.

Now, the only monsters that roamed the canyon were his soldiers and warriors. They were currently casing the area for any sign of survivors, for any clue of where those who had fled had gone. Those who they had discovered were already being herded back as prisoners, to await either death or enslavement at Moo's hands.

The wolves had waited so long for their struggle to end, and now, finally, it had come for so many of them.

All was as he had known it would be.

"Master Moo, the area is secure," the Weed reported, coming up slowly behind him.

"I can see that clearly," replied the tyrant smoothly, eyes glowing faintly as he turned to glance at his lackey. "There is no need for you to tell me of the victory."

The purple plant cringed, paling as he swiftly backed away.

"W-well then, I-I suppose I h-had better… check on the incoming prisoners…"

"Yes. You had better."

The Weed gulped and scampered away, but the titan was not alone for long. A pair of familiar figures materialized behind the possessed monster, and while he did not turn to face them, Moo knew exactly who they were.

"You performed wonderfully out there, Vanity," he commented, still gazing out at the destruction.

"Thank you, Master Moo," cooed the golden general, bowing. A cunning smirk twisted her ruby lips, and jaden eyes gleamed with thinly veiled malice as she added, "Of course, the foolish human boy was easy to defeat. It was rather pathetic, really: he couldn't even face a worthless suezo one-on-one…"

"Not when the worthless suezo was a former friend of his. But then, the brat always did allow his emotions to control him. It was only natural that weakness would lead to his eventual downfall."

Moo paused, then raised his head slightly, focusing upon the reflection of Vanity and Suezo in the window before him.

"So, then… what do you plan to do with him now?" he inquired in an offhanded, detached tone. "Will you kill him, or…"

"Oh, I think I'll let him stick around a bit longer," came the reply. Vanity leaned over and ran her slender fingers across the silent, unresponsive eyeball monster's forehead as she continued, "I still have some uses left for this one… Some big plans, indeed…"

She laughed, coldly, mockingly, while Suezo continued to stare mindlessly ahead. A cruel smirk twisted the visible side of Moo's face, distorting his scar, yet the titan still did not turn to directly face his golden general or her servant.

"You always have been a resourceful one," he remarked. "We shall remain here for the time being, however, and see if there is any more… cleaning up… we have to do in this area. After all, with my former general of the nearby controlled region gone… you will have to expand your own territory a bit."

"As you wish, my master…"

* * *

Far away, on a small pirate ship somewhere on the ocean, a tawny-furred rabbit huddled in a corner grasping a brightly glowing pendant tightly in both trembling paws and mourned the fall, silent tears streaking his pale face.


	24. Useless Tears

* * * Episode Twenty-four: Useless Tears * * *

__

* Lost. They lost… *

A cold shudder ran through the young rabbit's body, and he pressed his knees tighter to his chest, trying to curl up into a tiny little ball and shut out everything. An impossible task, he knew, but one he still wished he could accomplish.

__

* …But I can't ignore the world no matter how hard I try… This… this stupid thing won't let me… *

He opened his tear-blurred brown eyes slightly and glared down at the shining crystalline teardrop around his neck. His paws were cupped over the Phoenix's Tear, and for a moment he considered tearing the damned thing off and throwing it across the room. It wouldn't solve anything… but at least it would stop glittering so brightly for a while, remaining dim and lifeless until he finally broke down and retrieved it…

Sighing, Hare tucked the pendant back under his kerchief, then let his arms drop limply to his sides.

__

* What's the use of doing anything…? Won't change what happened… Nothing will… *

He tipped his head back, staring up at the ceiling without really seeing it. Instead, his thoughts replayed the horrific scenes of massacre that had flashed through his mind earlier, the same ones that had driven the rabbit from his bed and sent him stumbling blindly through the chamber, crying and sobbing helplessly as he attempted to shut them out, do something, _anything…_

But there had been nothing he could do. There was no way to help his friends or the wolves fighting so valiantly to protect their home. No way to stop the enemy forces from pressing forward. He had been reduced to a spectator, watching the struggle from afar, unable to help… all of the powers granted to him by the Phoenix's Tear completely useless.

For a second, a bitter smirk twisted his lips.

__

* The same power Naga coveted and wanted to control so badly… worthless. Completely and utterly worthless. So much for endless power… *

Losing the ironic smirk, Hare sighed and absently brushed his bangs away from his eyes, letting his head drop back down to his chest. His gaze drifted over to the closed door. Luckily for him, none of the others appeared to have overheard his reaction to the visions flooding his mind: if anyone had, he was certain they would have rushed in by now to see what was going on.

__

* But they'll be sure to miss me if they don't see me around… I can't stay hiding in here forever… * 

__

* …No matter how much I feel like it… *

Hare slowly stood up, grimacing as he felt his legs tremble slightly. They didn't want to support his weight, much in the same way that he didn't really feel like going anywhere or doing much of anything. Still, he couldn't let the others suspect anything was wrong – couldn't let them learn what he had found out.

Taking a deep breath, Hare practiced a small smile, attempting to call back the mask of happiness he typically used to keep the others from knowing his true feelings. The fake expression felt forced and uncomfortable to him, even more so than normal. He dropped it, frowning: he had enough difficulty lying to his friends after they'd found out his big secret about the Phoenix's Tear and that he was a child rather than an adult. Now, with what he was trying to hide behind it, it felt even more alien and strained.

__

* If Tiger was here, he'd see right through it in no time and have a blast ragging on me about it… *

Blinking rapidly as he felt his eyes begin to water, Hare forced those thoughts out of his mind. He walked over to the door and, after brushing the side of his hand quickly across his face to wipe away any evidence that he had been crying, took another deep breath in an attempt to steady himself.

__

* Can't do anything about that right now. Can't do… anything… except act like nothing's wrong for everyone else's sake… *

He pushed the door open.

* * *

"C'mon, Mocchi, you're moving too slow! You'll never catch me at this rate!"

"Wanna bet, chi?"

With that, the pink-skinned monster leapt toward Eboni, intending to slam directly into the black rabbit and grab her. However, Eboni darted out of the way, and smirked as Mocchi went skidding past, half-turning to watch him scrabble wildly in an attempt to slow down.

"Way too slow," she repeated, shaking her head mockingly. "And you completely gave that move away, too. I can tell exactly what you're gonna do before you even think of it!"

"Oh, yeah, chi? What about this?"

Abruptly Mocchi skidded to a halt and sprang into midair, spinning like a top. Eboni stared up at him and sweatdropped, garnet eyes wide.

"He wouldn't…"

"Cherry Blossom Blizzard, chi!"  
  
"He would!" she yelped, backing up a few steps, then turning to bolt.

However, before she could get too far, a cloud of pale pink petals surrounded her, and suddenly Eboni found herself lifted off her feet by the small tornado. As she struggled to free herself, Mocchi grinned widely and tacked the Evil Hare from behind, sending both of the young Searchers tumbling end over end through the room. They wound up slamming into a wall, and the pink rebel sat up first, laughing.

"Caught you, caught you, chi!" he giggled.

Eboni sat up, looking considerably less pleased than her companion. Her pale gray bangs were disheveled, a few pink petals caught in the tangles.

"That totally wasn't fair, Mocchi!" she screamed, taking a swipe at him.

Mocchi danced out of her reach and grinned at her, wide eyes twinkling.

"Your turn to chase me, chi!" he declared, before taking off at top speed, Eboni right on his heels.

"You better BELIEVE I'm gonna catch you, and when I do…"

"Hey, hey, hey! Why don't you two take your roughhousing somewhere else!" shouted Alan irritably.

They appeared to ignore him, and the cobalt-eyed boy grimaced, wondering if Holly and Serinity would be upset if he swatted the youngsters with his mop. He wouldn't have minded their games so much if it weren't for the fact that they were messing up an area he had just cleaned…

Sighing, he absently smoothed out the back of his blue-gray hair, wincing as his fingers brushed over a sore spot. It was a painful reminder of the attack that had occurred a few days ago, when the new general showed himself to the group.

Alan wished he could say he knew that because he had seen Poseidon introduce himself, but that, unfortunately, wasn't the case. He only knew about the so-called "Ocean General" from what Serinity and Holly had reported to him after the battle.

Why hadn't he seen the commander himself…? Well, when the enemy had first attacked by hitting the ship with a wave, Alan had been working under deck, the same way he was now. That wouldn't have prevented him from racing up to the battle, save for one problem – he'd been thrown into a wall by the force of the boat's pitching, nearly busting his head open. He'd woken up some time after the fight to find himself in bed, Serinity fussing over his wound.

Alan's frown deepened, and his grip on the handle of his mop tightened. Captain Horn had also been nearby, and had taunted the boy for being taken out of the fight so easily. Never mind the fact that the pirate commander was also being treated for a head wound sustained getting swatted by Poseidon…

Growling in frustration, Alan went back to cleaning with a vengeance, mop swishing violently while he muttered under his breath about "cocky, know-it-all pirates" and what he would do to the blue eyeball monster if he ever got half a chance at him.

Standing nearby, Hare sweatdropped and decided now was not a good time to approach the young fighter. Taking a few steps away from the boy, he watched silently as Eboni and Mocchi continued their game, then turned away as Eboni tackled the pink monster.

__

* Don't see the point of interrupting them… * 

Shaking his head, he stepped out of the room and closed the door, leaning against the wooden frame for a long moment.

__

* Now what? They're busy, and Serinity and Holly were in their rooms resting… There's not much point in hanging around here… *

He briefly thought of returning to his room, only to find his feet carrying him slowly and steadily through the ship. He wandered aimlessly from hallway to hallway, chamber to chamber, no real destination in mind. Instead, his thoughts wandered elsewhere: tracing over paths found in half-recalled dreams, vivid nightmares and visions…

It was no real surprise to Hare that they came to rest time and again on the terrible massacre that he had been forced to witness.

After a while, he gradually came to realize that he had climbed up to the deck, and felt a vague stirring of panic build in his chest. 

__

* I shouldn't be out here by myself. If any of Poseidon's Jells attacked… *

__

* …Then I'd likely end up just like Genki and the others. *

The tawny-furred rabbit hesitated as that concept flashed through his mind, then slowly eased the door shut, remaining standing on the deck.

At the moment, that thought didn't sound all that bad to him, oddly enough.

Vaguely alarmed by the fact that he was thinking this way, Hare still allowed himself to turn slowly around. Wavering brown eyes swept from side to side, taking in the surrounding ocean, as he approached the nearby railing. Wrapping both hands gently over the smooth wood, the bunny leaned forward, aware only of the sea breeze playing with his bangs, ruffling his fur, eyes still locked on the sweeping waves.

__

* …Wouldn't be so hard… to just… And maybe it would even be easier… Might solve some things… *

Experimentally, he loosened his grip a fraction, leaning out over the edge. He closed his eyes, then half-opened them again into tiny slits and wondering idly just what he would feel if the blue haze blurring before them were not a view of the ocean from above…

Then, he pushed away, stepping back onto the safety of the deck. Shaking his head slightly, still caught up in the spell he had half-woven over himself, Hare took another long, almost longing look at the waves.

That was when he noticed an odd rippling forming in the currents close to the ship's side. Instantly, his logical mind began to murmur an alarm, and he took a few steps backward, eyes locked on the frothing area as it paled, slimy blue spreading like a stain.

__

* …Maybe I shouldn't have hesitated for so long… I could have stopped this by now…*

Tentacles of pale blue jell shot out from the water and surged onto the deck, several streaking toward the tawny-furred bunny. Reflexively, Hare dodged backwards, bringing one paw up before him just as one of the gelatine ropes attempted to wrap around his neck. This caused that hand to get trapped as well, causing a trade-off to occur: while Hare could not pull his paw away, its presence also gave him a bit of breathing room as the tentacle slowly tightened. It had not looped solely around his neck, which would have enabled his Jell assailant to strangle him unhindered.

Unable to scream a warning, Hare could only gasp for air as he clawed at the choking vine. Tightening his grip on the translucent appendage from the inside, he closed his eyes in concentration. Heat began to radiate from his trapped paw directly into the Jell's arm, and he fought to stay conscious long enough to force it to let go…

__

* …Why bother? *

A few tears began to form in Hare's eyes, caused by a pain other than his current position.

__

* …Even if I manage to escape… it won't change anything… Tiger… Suezo… All my other friends will still be… *

His outer struggling with the choking vine lessened as his inner struggle with the pain he had been hiding filled his aching heart.

__

* All this power… all this so-called 'power' is good for is causing heartache! I couldn't save Tiger or Suezo or Genki or any of them… All I could do was suffer along with them… *

__

* …If I couldn't save them… why should I bother saving myself…? *

Hare's lungs were beginning to burn from lack of air, but he barely felt it at all compared to the agony raking his soul. He sank to his knees, emotionally dead, no longer caring about himself at the moment. The young rabbit's mind was filled only with thoughts of his failure to save his other friends.

Only the fact that his paw remained lodged firmly between the tentacle and his neck was preventing him from choking to death.

He did not care. Nothing seemed to matter anymore…

* * *

Eboni laughed as she took the steps up to the deck two and three at a time, pausing just long enough to glance back over her shoulder and make certain that Mocchi was following her. The pink monster was fuming: she'd made good on her promise to catch him just minutes before, and wasn't about to let him return the favor.

Seeing him round the corner, she smirked, then stuck her tongue out and pulled on her eyelid, waving at him. Giggling, she spun around and darted up the remaining steps, bursting onto the deck. She glanced about, trying to decide which way she would go to lose him…

Then her scarlet eyes widened as she saw Hare being attacked by a small group of Jells at the edge of the deck, and the chase was suddenly the last thing on her mind.

"Hey!" she shouted, running towards the struggle, paws already balled into fists.

Mocchi scrambled on deck a few seconds later, looked about wildly, saw what was happening and let out a gasp of surprise. His shocked expression swiftly changed into one of fury, and as he raced after Eboni, the pink monster was already preparing his first attack.

"Cherry Blossom Blizzard, chi!" he called out, springing into the air and spinning around to propel the cloud of petals toward the baddies.

At the sound of his friend's voice, Hare opened one of his eyes slightly. Through a haze, he glimpsed the pair lunging into the fray side by side, kicking and punching at the Jells. The enemies' rubbery, elastic bodies repelled most of the furious attacks, but this failed to discourage the young rebels.

What mattered to them was that Hare was in danger.

What mattered to Hare was that they were putting themselves in danger for his sake.

__

* Don't fight for me… Can't you see I'm not worth it? I… I can't… *

__

* I couldn't save Tiger! I couldn't help Suezo! I couldn't save Genki, or Grey Wolf, or any of his pack – anybody when they needed me the most! *

__

* I'm not worth your lives! *

A blue whip shot out toward Mocchi's side: there was no time for the pink monster to dodge it. Weakly, Hare raised his free paw, and a small streak of crimson fire lanced out to strike the jell before it could touch the youngest Searcher.

Mocchi turned to the tan bunny, a half-smile of relief on his face, only to cry out in alarm when he saw that Hare was still trapped, the breath slowly being forced from his lungs as the tentacle around his neck slowly tightened its grip.

"Hare, chi!"

__

* Mocchi… Eboni… Hurry up and run… I can buy you time to get help… Please… That's all I'm good for, now… *

But Mocchi and Eboni had no way of knowing what Hare was silently begging them to do. Even if they had known, it was extremely doubtful that either would have listened.

After all, they had promised never to abandon one another.

* * *

Alan cursed vividly under his breath as he pounded up the stairs, clenching his sword in a white-knuckle grip. Once again, the enemy's attack had taken him off guard.

This time, however, he had not been thrown off his feet by the ship's pitching and straight into a wall. He was not unconscious now, as he had been then, and was not going to wake up after the fight had ended to find a huge bruise forming on the back of his head and one hell of a migraine throbbing away.

This time, he was going to show this new general just why Moo wanted them eliminated so badly!

Bursting onto the deck, the blue-gray-haired swordsman took a quick look around, getting his bearings.

Sapphire eyes widened a fraction as they fell upon a horrific scene: the three youngest Searchers were struggling against a group of Jells who were attempting to trap the children with their whip-like appendages. An enraged snarl erupted from the boy's lungs as he charged, blade gleaming in the pale crescent moon's light as he drew it from its sheath.

As he raced forward, a part of Alan's mind that was not currently blinded by anger noted something odd about the struggle. Eboni and Mocchi were obviously faring better than Hare was: while they only had to deal with their arms and legs getting occasionally ensnared by the blue vines, the tawny-furred bunny had one wrapped around his neck, and was currently lying on the smooth wooden deck choking to death.

Yet he was making no effort to free himself.

Instead, Hare's free paw gestured weakly toward his friends, sending tiny blasts of crimson fire searing toward any of the whip arms that threatened the other Searchers. Even as these attacks steadily weakened, he showed no sign of turning that same power toward getting loose from the jell rope that was slowly strangling him.

The same could not be said of Eboni or Mocchi. They were attempting to help the tan rabbit, yanking and clawing at the choking vine every chance they could get, even as the baddies' assault threatened to snare them as well in the same manner.

Alan was not about to let that happen. Reaching the battle, he raised his sword over his head and brought it sweeping down in a deadly arc to sever the arm of the Jell closest to him. The baddie let out a shrill shriek, which Alan ignored. He knew the soldier could easily regenerate the lost limb, given time: they were not flesh, blood and fur like most other breeds of monster. 

Of course, that particular detail was moot, considering that his blade next buried itself in the Jell's chest, piercing the red orb that served as the monster's heart.

"Alan!" Eboni shouted, spotting him when she punched away another of the baddies.

The silver-blue-haired boy nodded curtly in her direction, and the black rabbit grinned triumphantly, happy to see another ally. However, another of the Jells attempted to take advantage of her distraction by swinging at her. Eboni barely avoided being caught by the flailing arm, instead taking a glancing blow on her shoulder.

Alan and Mocchi both winced in sympathy at her pained gasp, then redoubled their efforts in the conflict. A quick glance in Hare's direction confirmed Alan's nagging fear: the tawny-furred bunny was still making no attempt to save himself. Even more alarming was the fact that he wasn't even struggling to help his friends anymore. He was barely moving at all, just lying on the deck unconscious – or perhaps worse…

He wasn't the only one who noticed this, either. Eboni's face had gone pale under her dark fur, and her attacks were becoming riskier, more frantic, as were Mocchi's. The Jells, meanwhile, were already snickering among themselves about their assumed victory, and continued to attempt to push forward.

Cursing under his breath, Alan hacked away at the baddies closest to him. Their bodies could regenerate somewhat, of course, but that process took time and concentration, two luxuries the furious boy would not afford his opponents. Slowly, gradually, he forced his way closer to the struggling children.

Finally, he got close enough to help. By the time he had reached the younger rebels' sides, Eboni and Mocchi had stopped striking back at the Jells. Instead, both were currently attempting to yank the jell tentacle off of Hare's neck, clawing and pulling futilely at the stubborn appendage.

"Get back!" ordered Alan, bringing his sword up above his head.

Eboni looked up at him, garnet eyes widening as she swiftly figured out his intention. The dark-furred bunny gasped, releasing her hold on the Jell's arm and grabbing Mocchi's instead, yanking the pink monster out of the way.

With an enraged scream, Alan sliced through the offending Jell's arm. The force of his swing sent some of the blue slime flying, and the wounded baddie staggered backward, clutching at its stump. The pressure around Hare's neck abruptly slackened, and the tawny-furred bunny fell backwards.

"Hare!"

"Hare-chi!"

Eboni and Mocchi cried out almost in perfect unison, and both were instantly at their friend's side. Mocchi bent beside Hare and shook him, unable to tell whether or not he was breathing now. The purebred hare's face seemed to hold a shade of blue under his tan fur, but Mocchi soon noticed that color was gradually beginning to return.

He was still unconscious, however. Eboni stood directly in front of her friends, a determined expression on her face. Her pale gray bangs hung over her face, yet did not completely mask the angry gleam in her garnet eyes.

Alan shot a quick glance back at the youngsters as he briefly paused his assault on the Jells. Noticing the expression on Eboni's face, he blinked, an image of Genki in a similar position flashing through his mind. Shaking his head and smirking slightly at that unexpected parallel, he renewed his attack.

It was painfully obvious to the Jells that whatever advantage they had been enjoying had vanished when the blue-gray-haired fighter appeared. The baddies continued to allow the boy to force them backward, already planning to retreat over the ship's railing once they got near enough. Perhaps once they had dove into the water, they could regroup and…

Suddenly a torrent of ice-cold water crashed against the ship, sending the rebels reeling as the wave raked over the edge of the deck. Alan stumbled backward, wincing as some of the frigid spray hit his skin: fortunately, the younger members were further away and not affected as badly.

However, Mocchi and Eboni still stared wide-eyed at the way the water seemed to form liquid claws, seizing the screaming Jells and dragging them into the ocean.

It was over in a matter of seconds: the strange wave ebbed away as quickly as it had come, leaving the deck bare save for the startled rebels. There was no longer any sign of the baddies they had been fighting. Carefully, Alan walked to the railing and peered down into the sea: still no trace of the Jells. The water was swiftly settling back into its normal, smoother rise and fall, as if it had not risen to batter the ship moments before.

Staggering away from the railing in a daze, Alan felt himself sink to his knees, his sword's hilt nearly slipping from his fingers. His cobalt eyes wavered with exhaustion, and slowly began to drift shut.

"Alan! What happened?"  
  
He heard the patter of light footsteps against the wooden deck, then felt slender arms wrap around his neck and looked up to see Holly standing over him, looking concerned. A faint smile curled the boy's lips as he allowed her to help him to his feet.

"Don't worry… I'm okay, Holly," he assured her, running a hand through his blue-gray bangs and pushing them away from his face.

"What happened out here? Why is Hare…?" he heard Serinity whisper, and turned to see the pixie hybrid kneeling beside the younger Searchers.

"It was the Jells! There were a whole bunch of them, and one of them was trying to choke Hare!" blurted Eboni, waving her arms wildly for effect. "They were beating up on him, and then Mocchi and I came out and saw what was happening, and we tried to fight them, but there were too many! Then Alan came and started slicing them apart and there was a big wave and…"

"Chi! Chi!" Mocchi agreed, nodding his head, a frantic look in his wide eyes.

"We can go into all that later," interrupted Alan, walking over with Holly. "Let's get inside for now and…"  
  
"Going so soon?" rumbled a deep voice from some distance away.

Eboni, Mocchi and Serinity jerked their heads up and gasped, staring at the ocean, and Alan and Holly started to turn around to see what was behind them.

"Look out!" Serinity cried out suddenly.

Glimpsing the horror in the eyes of the monsters, Alan acted quickly, pulling Holly closer to his body and dodging to one side. Holly cried out, both from surprise and shock, as a blast of water struck the spot where both had been standing, mere feet away from where Serinity crouched with the other monsters.

The water dissipated harmlessly after hitting the deck, leaving behind a fading puddle. What frightened Holly the most was the fact that it had obviously been a concentrated blast, more like a liquid spear than a wave of natural water.

Holding Holly a little tighter in his arms, Alan whirled around to face whatever had caused the blast, sapphire eyes hardening. Holly looked as well, although she felt she already had a pretty good idea of the source.

Just as she had figured, Poseidon was watching them, thick arms crossed over his muscular chest. The aquamarine giant's ice blue eyes were narrowed into glittering slits: Holly could see their cold surfaces clearly despite the fact that he was some distance away from the boat.

As she watched, horrified, the ocean general uncrossed his arms, dipping his huge hands into the rippling waters that came up to his waist. Abruptly, he roared, and whipped one hand up again, balling it into a massive fist.

What caught the Searchers' full attention, however, was the fact that his blunt fingers were not clenched around air. Instead, water rose from the ocean to form a liquid spear in his hand, which he then tossed directly at the small group of rebels.

Eboni cried out, garnet eyes widening with shock, and Mocchi screamed and latched onto the dark-furred bunny's vest. Alan gritted his teeth and held Holly closer, tensing. Holly was too shocked to blush from the contact, her wavering bronze eyes fixed on the rapidly approaching attack. This time, there was no chance for them to dodge…

Serinity reflexively threw up one hand as if to catch the attack, wincing in anticipation of the coming blow. One wavering verdant eye closed completely, but the other remained open a crack, reflecting an image of the water spear lancing toward her… As it drew ever closer, the pixie hybrid's other hand clenched in her lap, a single thought ringing through her fear-filled mind.

__

- I can't let him hurt any of my friends! -

Suddenly the air before her took on a greenish hue, and the water lance seemed to dissipate harmlessly in midair mere inches away from her. Confused, Serinity opened her eyes a little more, then felt them widen as things came into focus.

Her hand was still thrown out in front of her, but now a pale, shimmering aura of verdant light spread from slender fingertips to form a barrier of light between her and where Poseidon lurked at the edge of the ship. It was a rather simplistic shield, a circle of light just barely large enough for her to crouch behind, but it was effective all the same, and had obviously managed to serve its purpose.

Serinity just gaped at it, mouth working soundlessly. She was fully aware of the fact that the other rebels were staring at her, equally astonished by this turn of events.

A low, rumbling chuckle filled the air, and the Searchers looked over to see Poseidon shaking his head slightly. The aquamarine giant appeared amused rather than upset by the failure of his attack.

"So the fragile little flower can defend herself and her friends when the need arises," he observed, sounding pleased. "That is very interesting to know… Then again, I suppose it makes perfect sense…"

Something about his tone struck Holly as odd: the general of the ocean was obviously being patronizing toward them, but at the same time, appeared to be satisfied somehow by seeing Serinity's defense of the group – almost admiring the effort. His ice blue eyes remained frigid, unfeeling, and yet his voice held a definite undertone of… approval?

That was when a glimmer of light just at the corner of her field of vision caught her attention. Holly glanced over at where Hare was lying beside Serinity: the tawny-furred rabbit was still unconscious, though he seemed mostly unhurt by the ordeal they had been through. However, she noticed that his bandanna had been loosened and twisted around in the struggle, leaving the Phoenix's Tear exposed on his steadily rising and falling chest.

The crystalline teardrop was glowing with a dull silver aura instead of its normal crimson.

Holly felt her eyes widen slightly, and she glanced back toward where Poseidon was, absently gripping her own pendant. The Magic Stone felt strangely warm under her hand, and the girl choked back a gasp, bronze eyes filling with dawning horror.

The aquamarine giant slowly turned away from the ship, though his frigid eyes continued to bore into the rebels.

"Farewell," he said simply, as the water surrounding him rippled and rose to hide his towering figure from view.

As the sea settled back down, calming with the evil general's departure, Holly turned her wavering bronze eyes back toward Hare. She watched in dull silence as the silver glinting in the Phoenix's Tear ebbed and faded along with the calming waves.

"No…" she murmured, shaking her head slowly.

"Something wrong, Holly?" inquired Alan, gazing down at the girl he still held onto so gently.

Holly kept her eyes averted from the blue-gray-haired boy's face, and felt her cheeks flush pink for a moment. Alan coughed and quickly loosened his grip, stepping away from her, deciding that her behavior was caused entirely by embarrassment at their closeness. Though she was a bit self-conscious because of that, it was far from the most pressing thing on her mind at the moment.

Kneeling beside Hare, she began to shake the tan bunny gently, calling his name. The other Searchers gathered around, fighting their own worries and concern over their friend.

* * *

__

Floating. That was the first sensation Hare became aware of as he drifted between consciousness and darkness. Suspended in midair, knowing nothing more than the dull, throbbing pain in his chest… a dulled pain, lingering, barely noticeable to his impaired senses…

__

No… it felt more like he was drowning, though his chest rose and fell steadily enough and enough air filled his lungs to keep him alive…

__

…Just enough to keep him alive…

__

He couldn't move, though. His arms and legs – his entire body – was held firmly in place by the cool, semi-liquid substance surrounding him.

__

…Jell. He was trapped in Jell.

__

There was nothing he could do about it, however: the frigid substance arrested every movement he tried to make, rendering him completely and utterly helpless. At the same time, however, it cushioned his body, and did not hinder his breathing in the slightest bit.

__

Trapped, but not dying.

__

Drowning, but living all the same.

__

A prisoner, but not suffering…

__

…Other than from the knowledge that he was helpless to do anything to save himself or anyone else.

* * *

"…Ah… I…"

Hare began to toss back and forth restlessly, attempting to break free from his perceived prison. A pair of hands caught his wrists: still in the grasp of his vision, he mistook the gentle grip for an enemy's, and yanked backward in a desperate attempt to get away.

"Mmn… N…no…"

"…Hare…Hare… It's all right… You're safe now…"

A gentle, caring voice whispering these reassuring words, one that could never belong to a baddie. Enough of Hare's sight cleared for him to see Holly's worried and relieved face, as well as those of the others nearby.

__

* …Survived again. So I get to live while so many others… *

He turned his face away from the others to hide the disappointment and sorrow that shone in his eyes at that thought. However, his attempt to hide his feelings succeeded only partially: Holly barely managed to suppress her startled gasp as she caught a glimpse of his haunted expression.

Hare was unaware of this: his half-lidded eyes raked over his all-too-familiar surroundings instead. He figured he must have been out for at least a little while… long enough for somebody to carry him back to the room they'd established as his own.

__

* Always the same. Always back here. I just want all this to end… Really, is that so bad? To want all of the pain – especially what I've caused – to an end…? *

Eboni and Mocchi were going on all at once, talking excitedly about what had happened almost – but not quite – in unison. Serinity gently hushed the pair, and Hare resisted the urge to roll his eyes, knowing exactly what the pixie hybrid would say next.

"Mocchi, Eboni, please… After what happened, I think poor Hare needs to concentrate on getting some rest. You can tell him everything when he feels better…"

__

* …If I ever get to feeling better, you mean. *

Hare turned away, burrowing into the covers and keeping his face averted from the other Searchers. He didn't need to watch as they filed out of the tiny, darkened room, didn't need to see the sympathy and concern on their faces.

He couldn't take it.

He couldn't stand to see the sorrow in their eyes anymore. He couldn't stand the pity.

__

* I'm not the one who needs your pity and sorrow right now. I'm alive, can't you see? I'm alive… I'm all right… I'm fine… *

__

* Mourn the ones who are dead, not those who are still alive and well… *

He started to shiver, then froze as he heard a soft voice speak up. He didn't turn to look at Holly where she stood in the doorway, hand on the handle, yet he knew that her bronze eyes were fixed solidly on him, and her gentle whisper cut through the thick silence hanging between them like her dagger's blade.

"Hare… You know that if anything's ever troubling you… You don't have to keep it bottled up. We're all here for you… If there's ever anything you need to get off your chest… Anything at all… We're ready to listen. I'll always be here to listen…"

Again, a heavy silence reigned. After a long moment, Hare heard himself reply, his tone bitterly cold despite its weak, wavering edge.

"There's nothing I want to talk to you about. Nothing…"

"………"

Holly gazed at the tan-furred bunny's back a few heartbeats more, then silently closed the door, leaving Hare curled up in the darkness. Dull brown eyes glared out at the shadows from underneath a veil of auburn bangs, as the young lapine wondered why, now that nobody was around to witness their fall, the tears that had been building with the tightness in his chest refused to come.


	25. The Fallen

* * * Episode Twenty-five: The Fallen * * *

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- How do you comfort someone who's just lost everything they've ever known? -

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- How can I tell them that things will be all right when I don't even believe that myself? -

The young girl sighed and massaged her forehead gently with her fingers, trying in vain to relieve her throbbing headache enough for her to think clearly.

For once, Coltia was not surrounded by whining, whimpering wolf cubs: though the pups had been loath to leave her side, the other survivors had eventually been able to lure them away by offering their own companionship and understanding. After all, for all her compassion and sensitivity, when it came right down to it she was still a human, and unable to possibly understand what the lupine monsters were going through, correct…?

Coltia knew that she probably should have been upset by that biased assumption, but she supposed that the wolves really didn't know any better. Many of them had rather nasty opinions of 'her kind'. From what she had managed to learn of the pack's history, the overwhelming majority of the older members had fled from abusive and cruel trainers, poor examples of the human race who saw no problem with the way they beat and tortured their so-called 'slave monsters'. With those horrible creatures as their primary source of seeing and figuring out how humans acted as a species, it was little wonder so many of the wolves saw her as unable to empathize with their loss.

If they had known more about Coltia's past, then perhaps they would not have dismissed the chance of her understanding so quickly.

They weren't about to hear a peep from her about it, though. It was far more important for everyone to deal with the fresh new wounds that had just been formed than to pick at old scars…

She got shakily to her feet, soft caramel eyes shimmering faintly with tears as she gazed at her surroundings. Shafts of wispy, fading sunlight drifted through a maze of twisted branches to set anything it fell upon ablaze in green. The forest was very pretty, but sadly, Coltia could only think of what had brought her and the others here.

Most of the exodus blended together in a confused blur – pushing forward, half swept along by the lupine bodies surrounding her, somehow managing to keep the whimpering Daton cub wrapped tight in her trembling arms. Tears streaking the pup's muzzle and dampening the front of her shirt, her own tears mixing with the blinding rain that plastered the girl's tangled bangs to her face. Stumbling along, wanting to fall to her knees and sob, to surrender, and yet knowing that would be the worst possible thing she could do.

Secretly, Coltia was thankful that she recalled only portions of the escape. Better than to have the entire thing burned vividly into her memory, to be able to visualize with agonizing clarity something she knew would likely haunt her for the rest of her days.

__

- …However long that turns out to be. -

Still, they had managed to make it here safely. They had survived the fall of the canyon – the loss of the only home the overwhelming majority of them had known. They were the… fortunate ones…

But it was hard for Coltia to think of herself and the other survivors as the lucky ones when she heard pups crying for their lost parents, or the wolves howling for missing friends, family and lovers. Difficult to claim they had any sort of good fortune as the tense lookout they kept for any other stragglers who had fled the massacre became just another vigil for any baddies that might come looking for them to finish the job.

Impossible to look any of her companions in the eye and tell them that at least they were alive – as if that would somehow make up for those who had not made it. As if they were somehow better than those who were noticeably absent.

A small shudder ran through the girl's spine. There were far too many who had not returned from the final struggle. Coltia had never been able to figure out just how many tiger breeds there had been in the pack before, especially after the Cabalos had showed up, but one thing was clear: only a handful of them remained.

Mentally, she ticked off the names of those she knew had escaped: a depressingly short list. Yuri, the Cabalos who had taken command of the exodus. Toge and Saffron, a pair of younger pack members who had reported the enemy's approach, and then been assigned to watch over the more helpless cubs. The cubs themselves, whom they'd somehow managed to herd out of the caverns without losing track of any, thank the gods…

A frown creased Coltia's lips: she didn't know the names of many of the wolves, since there were so many and the overwhelming majority didn't exactly warm up to humans. She wished she could have blamed the shortness of her list to that factor, but knew it wasn't the primary cause.

Now, though… she likely wouldn't have trouble putting more names to faces. It was easier to memorize such details when you weren't working with such a large number…

Coltia winced, mentally slapping herself for that thought.

It was true, though, that she would have to learn to recognize more of the wolves, now that so few of them remained. They had all managed to make it through Moo's latest assault together; now, they would have to rely on each other even more to keep the lives they had shielded from the tyrant's grasp.

She closed her eyes, another memory from that terrifying flight rushing back to engulf her: this one was far clearer than most. Thankfully, it was also a good memory, one that filled her with hope, even if it was somewhat bittersweet.

The majority of the surviving rebels had been those she had escaped alongside, those who had been left behind in the dens in case of such a dire turn of events. Few of the warriors who entered the battle made it to the forests where they had agreed to meet, yet a few stragglers had shown up. Weakened, sore, covered in blood and grit, but alive all the same.

When she had first caught glimpse of three of these refugees, limping along leaning heavily on each other for mutual support, Coltia had felt her heart leap into her throat.

A thick leather cloak that normally hid the majority of its owner's body was half-cast over the ragged trio, shielding them from the pounding elements. One trailing, ripped edge hung limply over the stained flank of a lupine monster, not quite concealing how his pelt had lost its normal silvery sheen. The wolf's pale blue eyes, too, had lost their normal shine, instead holding a dull, haunted gleam that matched his sorrowful expression. His head was down, his tail drooped, and the once-proud lupine seemed the living embodiment of defeat and indescribable loss.

The other side remained wrapped firmly over the scaled hare's shoulder, stubbornly in place, as its owner glared out at the world with narrowed violet-green eyes. He seemed utterly unconcerned by the fact that most of his body was now exposed: of course, this did little to change his intimidating presence, especially since it meant that anyone could clearly see the massive array of blades tucked into their sheaths. One of those weapons was drawn, the short sword ready in the rabbit's hand, just in case they happened upon any unfriendly faces.

And suspended between them, the cloak pulled taut over his back, was…

At first Coltia had thought he was unconscious – just unconscious, her mind stubbornly refused to accept any other possibility in spite of the hell that she had just narrowly escaped from. The boy's head was lowered, chin nearly resting upon his battered chest, and she had breathed a sigh of relief as she noted how his chest steadily rose and fell. Dark brown bangs covered the upper half of his face, hiding his normally bright and clear eyes, yet they had not masked the way his jaw clenched with both pain and frustration, or how there were streaks on his cheeks that she sincerely doubted were caused by the rain.

Coltia couldn't help but think that it was probably a very good thing that she had been unable to glimpse Genki Sakura's face at that moment.

All the same, there was no real way to adequately describe the elation she felt upon seeing them alive and…

…Actually, 'well' was not the best term to describe their condition when they had caught up with the other refugees.

But to see their faces again, bruised and filthy as they were… To know for certain that they weren't simply more causalities of the conflict…

It meant that she wasn't alone. The small group of friends and allies she had made this journey with had not dwindled down further than it already had.

The 'Searchers' had survived Moo's latest assault.

…At least, the ones who were present, and had not already fallen to the tyrant in other ways…

Coltia shook her head sadly, and attempted to focus on something else. Like, for instance, checking on the cubs again and trying to help them adjust as best they could to the cruel hand they had just been dealt… She walked off in the direction of the shelter they had hidden the youngsters at.

The dagger that Scaler had given her was tucked firmly into its sheath on her belt, her fingers gently stroking its hilt. Better safe than sorry…

* * *

Yuri paced back and forth, hidden in the shadows cast by the looming trees and their tangled web of branches and leaves. Thin, weak beams of sunlight trickled through the green canopy to dapple dark purple fur with spots of violet and lavender. Golden yellow eyes raked her shadowed surroundings intently, lithe body ready to go taut at a moment's notice.

She had to be ready. She could not allow anymore misfortune to fall upon those she protected. This was her duty, the final assignment she had received from him…

In Moo's army, back when she served under Master Grey Wolf of the Big Bad Four, her dedication to fulfilling any duty assigned to her had earned the female Cabalos a great deal of praise from her superiors. Oh, certainly such loyalty was common in the ranks, but unlike the unflinching service given by so many of her fellow warriors, hers came of her own free will.

She'd once heard some human comment that he wouldn't be surprised if practically all of Moo's forces were little more than mindless puppets. His naiveté had been worth a good laugh when Yuri related the claim later to the rest of her unit, after they had finished the job that exposed them to the human's home in the first place.

She and her comrades in the special units were fully aware of what they were doing. That was what made them 'special', after all – the fact that they served Master Moo while retaining their free will and ability to think clearly.

Many of those who fought alongside them could not claim the same thing.

The logic was simple and easy to understand – any monsters that resisted Master Moo and his rule were blind to what he offered them. Their inability to see the truth stemmed from a variety of factors: humans had taught them twisted values that caused them to not know any better, they had been abused and lost hope of the future holding anything great for them, simple ignorance of any chance of a wonderful life… In the end, it all amounted to the same thing.

By taking full control of the resisters' minds and forcing them to follow his commands, Master Moo was actually doing them a favor in the long run. No longer would they throw away their lives defending the worthless humans… instead, they would be working toward a bright future filled with promise. Once the war was over, then all of them would be free to enjoy the great new world they had forged…

Yuri snorted, shaking her head slightly and wondering just how the hell she had allowed herself to be blinded by that garbage for so long.

One of the things she had learned early on in Moo's army – having a mind of your own was a privilege. Not a right.

All of the baddies who retained their free will were fully aware of this simple fact. They also knew another vital rule about this privilege that they all enjoyed – you abuse it, you lose it.

By exercising her ability to think clearly, Yuri had always known that she walked a very thin line. Plenty of good decisions made her a valuable resource – a single mistake could turn her into another mindless drone.

Those who retained their free will always took full advantage of those less fortunate than themselves, of course. It was another privilege they gained from choosing to follow Master Moo without having to be convinced. Drones were akin to cannon fodder: since they followed orders without question or hesitation, those in charge loved to assign them the nastier tasks.

And if you wanted to keep your free will, you never questioned the fact that you were sending all these monsters to die when Moo claimed that the only reason they were being forced to serve was so they could survive to see the bright future.

Yuri had been lucky. She stood out just enough to earn her place in one of the 'special', free-minded units. She had been able to fight alongside others who shared the same blessing, the same gift from the master… had even come to be respected by her fellow pack members, up to the point where she, a female, was second-in-command of the elite Darkclaw pack.

It was a privilege she had been able to hold onto even after the fall: it was easier for former packs to stick together than to disband simply because their former leader had mysteriously vanished, especially in a world where many wanted to see them dead for their loyalty. Easier to continue to take commands from the same pack commander, simply to retain some form of control over their own lives now that the master had disappeared.

Chishi had worked alongside Yuri to keep the Darkclaw pack together, even bringing in new members as time passed, recruiting more Cabalos who had been fully loyal to Master Grey Wolf. Loyalty to Grey Wolf had been a must – it helped to bond the survivors together, a reason to remain side by side when the one that had controlled them all was gone.

When Moo had arisen again, it had also made the choice to not simply return to his service a cleaner break. By then, the growing pack had been able to see with clearer eyes what exactly they had become, and realized the truth behind the sugarcoated lies, the lovely dream world their former master had woven. Insisting that they followed Master Grey Wolf and not Moo gave them an excuse to not return willingly to service.

True, it also made them traitors in the tyrant's eyes, but at the same time, the Cabalos considered him a traitor as well. He had betrayed the ideal world he had promised them, the wonderful illusion of peace for all monsters…

It had been Chishi's idea to seek out Grey Wolf and offer their services to him once more. He had always followed the silver lupine out of a sense of loyalty rather than duty, and since there were many rumors that he had fought against Moo prior to his recruitment as one of the Big Bad Four…

Now Chishi was gone, and Yuri was the new leader of the Darkclaw pack.

Back in Moo's army, having your own unit to command had been a sign of power and prestige. Even if it was only a group of dispensable drones that had enough of their intelligence removed so they wouldn't know the difference between a brilliant plan and a suicide run – it symbolized control. Control over the lives of others, despite the fact that your own ultimately belonged to Master Moo.

Had she still been serving the dark ruler, that power should have been enough. It would have easily filled the emptiness she felt deep in her heart at that moment, out of a necessity to keep crucial appearances if nothing else.

A real warrior in Moo's employ did not let anything distract them – at least, not if they wanted to keep their ability to be distracted in the first place.

Yuri smirked humorlessly: she would have to keep that part of her service under Moo first and foremost in her mind, much as she wanted to put her past behind her. She had the dubious advantage of knowing how to hide her feelings out of necessity, a skill she would need in order to keep functioning properly.

There was a soft rustling from the foliage nearby; Yuri instantly reacted, muscles going taut as she whipped about towards its source. Golden yellow eyes narrowed, glinting with a killer's determination, then gradually softened as she recognized the young human girl that stepped into view.

The maiden stiffened upon seeing her, recoiling slightly, caramel eyes widening in surprise. One hand flew to half-cover her mouth. The other tightened reflexively around the hilt of a dagger.

For a few seconds, Yuri and Coltia simply gazed at one another, tensely. The very edge of the Cabalos's mouth twitched ever so slightly in vague amusement, but she did not move a muscle. It was the human girl who finally broke the stalemate, stepping forward and walking past the violet wolf, fully aware of the pale golden eyes locked on her body, watching her every move.

Yuri waited until Coltia had stepped out of sight before allowing herself a slight smirk. Even if it hurt a little – just a little – to see an ally regarding her with such a frightened expression, it also acted as a bit of a reassurance.

She still possessed her intimidating edge. If it affected someone who knew for certain that Yuri was an ally, then hopefully those who would face her – do harm to those she protected – would also feel similarly. It would be a factor that, in the worst possible scenario, perhaps buy them a bit of extra time.

She would continue to carry out the wishes of her predecessor… To protect Master Grey Wolf and all those he held dear… no matter what the cost might be.

* * *

"This shouldn't have happened."

Toge could only nod his agreement: how could he possibly oppose that statement? Even if it had not been made by her…

"This should not have happened!" the Daton repeated, her sapphire eyes flashing with helpless rage as she lashed out blindly with one of her forepaws.

It left a sloping set of claw marks in the ground at her feet, and Saffron glared at the gouges angrily, as if blaming it for all their problems.

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- These claws should have been tearing flesh and fur instead of dirt! -

She lashed out again with her other front paw, lips curling back in an enraged snarl. Toge watched in silence as his friend continued to punish the earth before her, showing no outward reaction other than to back up slightly, just out of the Daton's reach.

He didn't see any point in trying to stop her. Wasn't like she was really hurting anything, when it came right down to it. The ground would end up scarred for a while by the funnels she was currently raking into its face, but the dirt could easily settle back later. No matter how mad she got, she couldn't do any serious damage to the earth.

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- If she turned those claws on me, however… - 

Toge shuddered at the mere notion, but then sighed and shook his head.

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- But… maybe if it would help her… -

It wouldn't, of course: at least, not really help their situation any. Just as Saffron's mauling of the ground before her wasn't doing anything to change things. It was an effort filled with anger and enraged passion, but also useless.

Useless…

Seemed like everything had been useless lately. All of the efforts he and his friends had put into defending their home… All the endless patrols through the darkness, leaping at the shadows… Struggling to survive, to increase his combat skills so he could protect everyone, everything he loved…

Yet they had still lost in the end. Not even the warnings had mattered.

A familiar tightness twisted in the young Datonare's chest, and he lowered his gaze to the dirt at his own feet. A few damp spots appeared as his vision began to blur, and Toge shut his watering eyes painfully.

He and Saffron had been the first to spot the hordes coming to finish off the rebellion. They'd raced back to the caverns, howling an alert the entire way. Once they had finally arrived, both had been exhausted from the dead run, panting for precious breath, although stubborn Saffron had managed to mask her suffering a little better. Saff had always been more energetic…

Grey Wolf had taken one look at the worn out, gasping young lupines and ordered them to join the warriors looking after the pups.

Saffron had naturally been infuriated at being denied the ability to fight the baddies. Toge had immediately recognized the wisdom behind the command: they wouldn't be of much help in a fight in this condition.

Now, however, watching Saffron tear mercilessly into the earth, he couldn't help but wish that she could have been able to use that same strength to tear into the enemy lines.

Maybe then he wouldn't feel as if all their efforts to get back home in time to warn the others hadn't been wasted.

Maybe then he wouldn't wonder if they could have made a difference, no matter how small, in the battle if they had just gone to fight alongside their family and friends instead of limping off to guard the children.

Maybe then he wouldn't feel as though he'd somehow failed his pack, that he hadn't done everything he possibly could have done to save them. 

Maybe, maybe, maybe…

__

- Oh, GODDESSES. -

As the Datonare's body began to tremble, shaking with each anguished sob that he bit back, Saffron finally finished raking her claws over the face of the earth and glanced over at her friend. Her dark blue eyes shimmered faintly, holding the same misty sheen as Toge's amber ones, the primary difference being that he allowed the tears to tumble down the sides of his muzzle and strike the cold ground at his paws.

It was pathetic, if you asked her. As if tears could bring back their lost friends, their family and allies, their home…

__

- Oh, like tearing up the ground is really helping matters? -

An annoyed growl rumbled deep in Saffron's throat, and she glared down at the shallow trenches she had created. Instead of seeing a mound of dirt, however, she imagined the battered form of an enemy soldier beneath her, gasping its final, tortured breaths.

Like her companion, the Daton was dealing with the losses by pinning the blame on someone. However, unlike the sobbing Datonare, she was not turning on herself, asking what she might have done to change things.

Oh no. She had a very clear picture of just whom she had decided was responsible in mind.

It was painfully clear in her mind. Just when it had all started to go quickly downhill. For a few fleeting days, victory had seemed achievable, and then it had happened, and things turned around. Their leaders thrown into inner turmoil, their fighters – her friends and family – arguing among themselves, and Saffron herself not knowing what to suspect, what to believe.

She had made up her mind, now. Pity it was too late to save her home.

But, Saffron vowed silently as a low snarl curled her lips back, exposing her gleaming white fangs, she would find a way to pay him back for what she had lost.

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- The traitor… -

Her snarling increased in pitch, becoming an outraged wail as she lashed out at the torn ground again, imagining that her claws were raking across a dimming green-gold iris instead of gritty dirt…

* * *

The leader of the wild pack – what remained of the wild pack – gazed toward the canyons from his vantage point, misty blue eyes holding a faraway look. He appeared to be completely unaware of the world around him, of the sun's continuing to sink low on the horizon, lost in scattered memories of the past. Thankfully, the illusion of ignorance of time's passing was shattered when a figure stepped out of the shadows several feet behind him.

"I know it's a risk for me to be out here, I'll return in just a moment," Grey Wolf stated simply and firmly, not bothering to tear his gaze away from the nearby canyons to spare a glance at his new companion.

"I didn't come to scold you or drag you back."

Silence followed the equally short and calm reply. Scaler leaned against the tree he had just stepped out from behind, half-veiled in the shadows without stepping completely into the darkness again. His leather cloak concealed most of his body again, just as the neutral expression on the green rabbit's face concealed his true emotions. Only his glittering violet-brown eyes held any potential clue to his thoughts.

Grey Wolf still did not turn to face him. This did not appear to bother the cloaked rabbit in the slightest, as he went on to answer the obvious question before the silver lupine could give it voice.

"I'm here because I want to make certain that your intentions regarding a certain… promise you had me make remain the same."

"Promise…?"

The silver lupine finally turned haunted ice blue eyes away from the canyon to stare at the scaled hare in confusion. Dark violet-brown eyes instantly locked with his own, piercing despite the distance between them, and Grey Wolf felt a faint shudder run down his spine for some reason he could not quite name.

"I…failed to follow through with it right away," Scaler admitted, though his tone failed to betray any feelings one way or another on that failure. "As I said before, there was no time to do anything more…"

He straightened, already darkly glittering eyes seeming to blaze.

"I can correct that error now, if you so wish it."

Grey Wolf regarded the cloaked rabbit with confusion, still not quite understanding what he was alluding to. He noticed that Scaler had moved one hand slightly, and was rubbing his thumb up and down the side of one of his blades…

Then he remembered. Standing in the caverns the first day they had arrived. Suezo resting peacefully in a cave left behind, sleeping off the effects of the long-distance teleportation. Genki and Coltia racing ahead of them, arguing about claiming 'the best cave' for their own, whatever that meant.

Grey Wolf swallowed, feeling a hard lump beginning to form in his throat to match the dead weight growing in his chest. His own words coming back to haunt him, echoing through his mind, his wavering tone faintly mocking him.

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"…Scaler…if it comes to that…"

Violet-brown eyes continued to study the silver lupine's face impassively, just as they had that day, before the green rabbit had given him a short, deliberate nod.

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"…If there is time, and no other hope of escape… If you so wish, I will see to it that they take as few of us alive as possible. …Only if that is what you truly want, however…"

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"Yes… I'd rather have that happen, then see my pack turned into simply more of Moo's mindless soldiers…"

His own voice again, firmer, gaining strength as he pulled upon reserves to say what he thought was right for his pack… if the worst happened.

The worst had happened.

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- Now what? -

Scaler's dark eyes still burned into his own, as the cloaked rabbit continued to wait patiently for some reply. The dagger remained resting in his palm, looking for all the world like a natural extension of his hand. One finger caressed the blade gently, running back and forth over its side.

"I need to know exactly what you want me to do. Do you wish for me to go through on the promise or not?"

Grey Wolf stared back at him, mind racing. Pale blue eyes flicked once, twice, to the blade, and Scaler noticed the visible shudder that coursed down the lupine monster's back. A dry, humorless smirk twisted the green rabbit's lips briefly.

"I wouldn't just stab everybody, you know," he commented blithely. "No matter what you think of me, I'm not so heartless as to butcher a whole group of allies just like that."

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- No, you just need my permission first. -

As if sensing the silver wolf's thoughts, Scaler replaced the knife in his cloak, never breaking his steady gaze at the wolf's face.

"I will only do this if that is what you truly wish. That was the nature of the agreement, I believe," he added, arching one eyebrow slightly at Grey Wolf. "Do you want to end this now… or go on, knowing that Moo could attack us again and finish the job he started in the canyon?"

Grey Wolf winced at that, recognizing the point his companion was making. Horrible as the thought of letting Scaler move through their ranks and quietly dispose of everyone seemed, the alternative… running away from Moo and his minions, with nowhere to run or hide, knowing what fate likely awaited them at the enemy's claws…

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- There are some fates far worse than death. -

Like being imprisoned in one's own mind, unable to control your own body, able only to watch through a dim haze as you tore innocents apart. Even now, after so long, Grey Wolf remained haunted by nightmarish images that flashed through his mind, half-buried memories of his service under his former master. His own voice, deep and full of malice, giving the order to kill… Tracking down those who fled from their burning, dying villages, sneering as he bore down upon them… The taste of fresh blood in his mouth, licking the torn flesh from reddened teeth, and searching for more, always driven forward by the impulses of his lord and master…

In a way, Grey Wolf was almost grateful that he had met his end at Naga's claws during one of the reptile's plays for power. At the very least, he did not have to live with the memory of trying to murder his own brother simply because it was what Moo wished of him…

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- …For all the good that's been… -

To think of any of the pups going through the same torture as he once had… but, then, to prevent that…

A flicker of light on steel caught his attention: Scaler was still cradling the thin knife in one paw, half-hidden under the folds of his cloak. Still the dark eyes were locked on Grey Wolf's face, watching for some hint of his decision.

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- Certain death at the hands of an ally or the constant risk of death or forced servitude at the hands of a monster… what a choice… -

It was obvious from the scaled hare's stance that he was not about to let the issue drop or wait until another time. He desired a straight, final answer _now_ – and was fully prepared to follow up on whatever the silver lupine decided. Life or death, the difference seemed to be unimportant to him. All that mattered was that this ended here – whatever the outcome of the choice might be.

"So what will it be, Grey Wolf?" he prompted gently, violet-brown eyes fixed solidly on the wolf's own, seeming to pierce deep into the silver lupine's soul.

"I…"

Grey Wolf paused, closed his wavering blue eyes, and took a deep breath to steady himself. His throat felt constricted and terribly dry. After a long moment, he opened his eyes again and returned Scaler's calm gaze, ignoring as best he could the violent pounding of his own heart.

"…I'm sorry, but I think… I think I'm going to have to reject your offer."

Scaler's neutral expression was unreadable, with not even a single flicker of emotion in his dark eyes to hint at his true feelings about the situation as he asked calmly, "Why?"

"Because…"

The silver wolf faltered again, swallowing hard in an attempt to ease the pressure in his chest, then went on, "Because the others sacrificed themselves to make certain that we would survive. They've died so that we could keep going, keep fighting against Moo… If we gave up now, it would mean they died for nothing…"

He unconsciously straightened his posture, meeting the cloaked rabbit's silently analyzing gaze solidly, a steely gleam in his pale blue eyes.

"I can't let that happen," he told his companion firmly, without a hint of his former hesitation. "I won't let that happen. We're going to keep fighting this, no matter… no matter what may happen because of it."

Scaler nodded silently, and for the first time since he had stepped forward with his query a flicker of… something… lit his deep violet-brown eyes briefly. The silver wolf thought it might have been something vaguely like approval, but – as with so many other matters with the blade-wielding rabbit – could not be absolutely certain.

At any rate, the typical neutral expression was back in position as the scaled hare took a step backward into the shadows of the forest at his back. The knife he had been fingering disappeared silently into the folds of his billowing cloak, and those dark eyes were studying the lupine's face carefully, searching for any hint of indecision.

"You're certain?"

"Yes," replied Grey Wolf, nodding shortly.

"Fine then," and with a blur of dark leather, Scaler whirled on his heel and vanished into the forest, once again leaving the silver monster with his thoughts.

Once he sensed that the cloaked rabbit was truly gone and was not hiding somewhere nearby to keep an eye on him, Grey Wolf let out the breath he had not even realized he had been holding until that moment. His legs trembled slightly, and he nearly collapsed to the ground, yet managed to remain standing, if only for the reason that he wanted to remain standing, to not surrender to the overwhelming wave of weakness that was currently crashing down upon him…

…Much as he had felt it weighing him down moments before, as he struggled with his decision.

Still, what was done was done. He'd made his choice, and had Scaler's word that he would abide by that decision… a promise he would just have to trust in. But, after all, if the cloaked rabbit had been planning to go ahead with his plan to make certain Moo could not control any of them, he would have done so already…

Shaking his head, Grey Wolf turned and took one long final look at the canyons ranging before him, blue eyes narrowing slightly as they fell upon a dark star hovering in the sky. So far, it had made no move toward the forest… Moo was doubtless still gloating over his victory. But it was likely only a matter of time before he moved on… and perhaps continued to hunt for survivors of the raid…

A chill breeze ruffled silver fur, and Grey Wolf raised his head high, almost in defiance of the dark star in the distance.

This wasn't over. Just because the tyrant was celebrating a victory now, it didn't mean he'd won everything. There was no way Grey Wolf and his companions were about to let the evil monster get away with what he'd done. One way or another, they would keep fighting, keep resisting his armies… keep the hope alive as best they could.

They would never give in to Moo, no matter what the cost of continuing to fight him might be.

Tilting back his head, Grey Wolf let out a single, piercing howl that rang out loud and clear in the cool air, then turned and plunged into the forest, vanishing from sight.

* * *

Coltia jerked her head up sharply at the unexpected sound, almost leaping to her feet, fingers clenching a bit tighter around the hilt of the dagger at her belt. Then, slowly, a hesitant smile curled her lips as she recognized the source of the howl, and sensed that it was not a warning of danger, but more a voicing of defiance.

Chestnut eyes wavering, she returned to her kneeling position at her companion in the small cave's side. Reaching down, she placed one faintly trembling hand over an unresponsive one, and gazed sadly down at his face, smiling through her tears.

"Did you hear that, Genki?" she whispered, voice cracking slightly. "Grey Wolf and the others haven't given up hope just yet, so that means you have to keep hoping too…"

The young boy gave her no answer, chest rising and falling slowly as he continued to sleep. Even in the dim light of the small cave – more a shelter formed by some piled rocks than anything else – they were hiding in, she could see the makeshift bandages wrapped over the worst of the boy's wounds. The battle's effects still weighed heavily on the young man from another world, and he wasn't recovering nearly as fast as the monsters who had escaped from the battle…

Coltia shook off the nagging feelings of growing worry and despair, and brought her other hand from where it rested near the blade Scaler had given her to grip Genki's hand tightly in both of her own.

"You have to get better," she insisted under her breath, then shook her head rapidly and corrected, "You will get better. You will. And then we'll find a way to stop Moo and save Tiger and Suezo, and everything will be alright…"

Her voice cracked again at this last, betraying her own uncertainty of this declaration ever coming true, yet Coltia gritted her teeth and gripped Genki's hand ever tighter, fighting back the tears that shone so brightly in her pale tan eyes.

Genki moaned and shifted slightly in his sleep, fingers curling around Coltia's own unconsciously as he continued to slowly recover from his injuries… or at least, she kept hoping that he was recovering just fine…

* * *

Meanwhile, somewhere in the forest's depths, Scaler also looked up as the sound of Grey Wolf's howl faded away. A smirk twisted the cloaked rabbit's lips, and he nodded his head slightly to himself… as there was no one else around to witness it.

"Good," he whispered under his breath, sounding both vaguely amused and mildly pleased. "Don't give up the battle just yet…"

He glanced down at his hands, at the thin knife gripped in one of his paws, the steel blade glinting slightly as it rested against the pale green of his furry arm. A bit more pressure would cause a thin line of crimson to appear on the gleaming edge… Not that he was considering any such action at the moment.

__

No, not yet, not yet, he told himself calmly, dark eyes blazing under the shadows cast by his bangs. _Not while there's still a fight to be won…_

His smirk twisted slightly as he recalled the look on Grey Wolf's face when he had asked for his decision, and the scaled hare slowly shook his head. The lupine monster's fear of him following through with the morbid request – paired with his burning desire to keep anyone else from falling into Moo's clutches – had caused the leader of the pack to adopt some rather interesting expressions while he pondered his choice.

Regardless, he would follow Grey Wolf's instruction not to follow up on the promise he had once made. He knew his comrade was not so secretly worried that he might go through with it anyway… as if he believed he had no sense of honor.

Scaler shook his head again, lip curling in mild derision: if he had been plotting to follow the silver wolf's initial request he would not have brought the matter up again beforehand. He simply would have acted, buried the pair of youngsters' bodies, stored the lost discs in a safe place, and then…

Violet-brown eyes flicked back down to the small blade in his paw. Slowly he traced it up his wrist, never placing enough pressure on the knife to cause its edge to pierce the skin, just enough to keep it moving along slowly. Soon, the gleaming point was resting against the center of his open palm.

A bit more pressure, and a droplet of crimson fluid welled up at the blade's tip. Scaler did not even flinch at the slight pain: it was nothing to him. His dark eyes flickered, locked upon the familiar image of red staining silver, and he raised the knife into midair so that the first rays of moonlight reflected off the tainted surface.

"One day, Moo," he murmured, his voice lowered to a harsh snarl as he clenched his bleeding paw into a fist, ignorant of the few trickles of crimson seeping through his fingers. "One day, it will be your blood covering my blades… this I promise you…"


	26. Blame Fighting the Tide

* * * Episode Twenty-six: Blame – Fighting the Tide * * *

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- You knew you'd pay for your mistake. -

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- You'd seen it happen countless times before: watched as a previously favored warrior had everything stripped away as punishment for a single error made in judgement, a simple mistake that had the misfortune of catching the master's attention. -

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- You loved watching these falls, truth be told. They meant one less rival to compete with when the rare opportunity for more favorable attentions from the higher-ups occurred. -

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- Even now, suffering as you are under the baleful glare of your master's mismatched eyes, you feel no sympathy for those who have passed before you this way. You have come too far, you tell yourself, gone through too much to join those who have perished for their errors. -

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- Perhaps this stubborn spark is what has saved your life. -

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- Perhaps your lord and master does admire what you have accomplished in the past enough to spare your life. After all, you have completed many other missions to his satisfaction, and the only one you have failed upon is the self-same one that has flummoxed countless others, including those far greater in rank. -

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- She was one of those who botched this mission. She should be suffering for this failure as well. -

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- Of course, you know this will never be the case. -

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- After all, she is one of your lord's chosen: your superior, your better. While it would be foolish – suicidal – for her to believe herself completely above the master's laws because of this, it is undeniable that it has granted her a certain… amnesty in this particular instance. -

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- Then again, you cannot help but wonder just how much of her immunity springs from the skillful way she wove HER version of events, a cunning web in which you found yourself enmeshed, unable to escape the dire fate she'd chosen to pass off upon you without a second thought. -

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- Hell, she probably didn't even give you a first thought before deciding to shift the weight of the blame solely onto your shoulders. -

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- Ah, the way she twisted and corrupted so many tiny details – as well as omitted those she found unsuitable to her cause of self-preservation – was a true testament to her wit and cunning, even if you could not fully appreciate her skill since you would receive the fallout from it. -

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- But how skillfully, how surely she changed the tale from that of her interfering in your reestablishing control over your captives – You would have surely had the brats if she had not shown up and attempted to take credit for their recapture! – to one where your refusal to obey the direct orders of your superior resulted in their slipping out of her grasp! -

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- Then, to add further insult to her damning report – knowing that she had single-handedly consigned you to a horrible fate – she blithely went on to comment that, while you had caused the loss of some important captives, she thought you might be "a fine warrior… if a bit lacking in discipline. He just needs to remember who his betters are…" -

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- You recall how she 'just happened' to glance in your direction as she said this… how her crimson lips turned up into a veiled smirk, how her deep jaden eyes glittered with malice and triumph, both of which you knew she wanted you to see. -

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- This is why you are alive right now – because your lord and master decided to listen to her suggestions, and ordered another of his chosen to 'reeducate' you, to ensure that you will never make such a grievous error in judgement again. -

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- You already have figured out what your biggest mistake is, and vow to yourself over and over again that once your 'training' ends, you will take steps to rectify that error. - 

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- First chance you get, you're gonna snap the yellow-skinned witch's little neck. - 

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- That part, however, will have to wait until after you've convinced your master that you've learned your lesson. Since you trained under him as one of his more elite soldiers, you were already aware of just how long it could be – and how much you'll likely have to suffer – before he's satisfied. -

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- For now, all that matters is surviving through this. - 

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- That is why you cherish the pain, treasure the feel of blood trickling from your deeper wounds, the way crimson fluid wells up around the spikes lodged in your chest and shoulder and oozes down over pale blue scales. -

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- Cherish the pain, because it tells you that you are still alive. -

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- If it were to ebb and fade, you would know that death was coming to claim your shattered shell. -

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- But you refuse to die. You refuse to let all of your hard work end this way. -

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- And that resolve, ultimately, will be what will save you… or at least, what will keep you alive long enough to fulfill your most pressing mission… -

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- That of vengeance against the ones who sent you to this fate. -

A thick finger of ice blue traced slowly across a thin, heaving chest of the same pale hue, which shuddered slightly underneath the cold touch. While its caress was gentle enough for the moment, the body sensed this was only a brief respite – it was far too used to having pain dealt to it by this same limb.

Surely enough, the gentleness soon faded completely as the finger abruptly ceased its silent wanderings over the bruised chest and instead jabbed into the victim's left shoulder. This unforgiving pressure would have been unbearable in itself, but the fact that it served to drive the thick spike that had already been lodged in the joint there further into the pain-wracked body only served to further intensify the unfortunate's suffering.

Crimson eyes shot open instantly, reflexively, and the serpentine monster's body jerked convulsively. A scream welled in his chest and throat, one he fought down stubbornly, knowing it would only serve to worsen his situation. As if sensing his victim's struggle for silence, the hulking monster leaned forward to whisper harshly to him, despite the fact that his deep voice was not suited to quiet tones.

"Go ahead. Give in to the weakness of your body if you must. Your screams tell me just how much more re-conditioning you need… my fallen warrior…"

The snake's eyes blazed with fury, yet he still fought to remain silent as his torturer drove the spike in ever deeper. His senses shrieked in agony, yet he somehow managed to remain silent.

Finally, Poseidon decided to end this latest training exercise, gradually lessening the pressure he was placing on the spike, then withdrawing his hand completely. Crossing his muscular arms over his chest, the ocean general studied his pupil with a slight hint of disgust in his icy eyes.

"Ah, how the mighty have fallen," he mused under his breath. "Then again, I may be going too far to include you among the mighty… What do you think, Aqua Cutter?"

The naga hybrid remained silent, though his baleful glare spoke volumes for him in place of his voice. The glittering crimson orbs met the cool gaze of frozen ice. Poseidon's expression remained neutral, maddeningly composed.

The serpent wanted nothing more than to lash out, rake his claws over those damnable cold blue eyes, plunge his talons into that thick chest. He longed to inflict the same pain upon his commander that the giant gave to him as part of his 'training' – to see whether the ocean general would bleed crimson or the same sticky blue gel that surrounded him.

But, that desire would go unfulfilled… for now, at least. If he wanted a chance to pay back those responsible for his current position, he had to survive through it first.

So, Aqua Cutter swallowed the bitter hatred, fighting back the blinding rage much as he had kept silent the screeches of agony that surged through his battered body.

After a long moment of simply studying his captive soldier in silence, Poseidon turned away and strode off. Aqua Cutter glared after him, crimson eyes locked solidly on the rippling muscles of the ocean general's back as they faded into the shadows. A dusky aquamarine light pulsed briefly over the titan's body, and abruptly he vanished completely from the chamber, leaving the snake monster completely alone.

The medallion on Poseidon's chest continued to glow faintly with the after-effects of its teleportation spell after he reappeared in another room. He paid it little notice, being completely used to the reaction.

Of course, not all of Moo's generals were so accustomed to using the special abilities granted to them by their lord and master. Mew, the 'Clawed General' – a title referring to her deadly slash attacks, which she unleashed on many a foe who was foolish enough to underestimate her on sight – had always voiced her preference to use her own talents to tear her opponents to shreds. This was understandable to those who knew her history well enough, and Moo had never taken it as a slight.

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- And just look where relying on her own power got her… -

Poseidon, however, took full advantage of the skills Master Moo had granted him. For example, teleportation made it much, much easier to ensure that any captives he held would never be able to escape. The chambers that made up his prisons had no fixed entrances or exits: even in the unlikely event that someone escaped their bonds, there was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide… only the certainty that the ocean general would eventually reappear and punish them for their pathetic attempt at fleeing.

Aqua Cutter had learned that lesson early on.

Poseidon's already stony features hardened further, a dark frown crossing his face as his thoughts turned to the hybrid monster. He was rather displeased by the notion that he even had to go through re-training the serpentine warrior.

The ocean general only worked with monsters who were at least half-jell-blooded. There were several reasons for this restriction, not the least of which being the misguided reputation he knew most Jell-types had for being weak, spineless creatures. These beliefs did serve a bit of a purpose for Poseidon, however – they made it that much easier to take his victims off guard with the skill of his soldiers.

Aqua Cutter was one of his most talented warriors. Combining the natural defensive and reflexive capabilities of a Jell with the strength, speed and spirit of a Naga, the hybrid monster also surprised his commander with his cunning and cruelty. A fine warrior, he showed potential for developing into something more.

So Poseidon had shaped the serpent into an assassin. Aqua Cutter had taken to the role instantly, relishing what little power and prestige it afforded him among the ranks. The fact that he had been chosen to become something greater than a mere foot soldier afforded the reptilian beast some pride – even though he also knew all too well that the true strength held by the generals was still far above him.

At least he could take comfort in holding complete control over the pitiful lives of those he was sent to dispose of.

Moo had been pleased at having a specialized assassin at his disposal: there were some targets that the tyrant felt needed to be dealt with a method other than brute force. For example, occasionally they ran into villages where the townspeople were spurred on to resist by a few in positions of power – a mayor, say, or a nobleman and his family who lorded over the area… ones who clung stubbornly to what they held, knowing they would lose it all. Then, too, there were instances where some decent leaders emerged among the rabble and urged their fellow villagers to rise up and attempt a rebellion… 

In such cases, Moo found it so convenient to be able to call upon someone that could slip in, dispatch the troublemakers, and leave. Removing the primary annoyances almost always seemed to quell any chance of the remaining populace from continuing in their useless resistance.

And Aqua Cutter enjoyed fulfilling his role so much…

For Poseidon, the arrangement was perfect. Since the ocean general greatly detested leaving his territory for long, and so few attempted to sail his seas anymore, he rarely got the chance to directly demonstrate his devotion to his lord and master in battle. Unless the conflict took place over some body of water… But Aqua Cutter's services gave him another outlet with which he could express his loyalty. The serpentine assassin was one of his greatest gifts to Master Moo.

Now, however… Aqua Cutter had overstepped his bounds, and until Poseidon decided that he was suitably punished enough and had learned his lesson, Master Moo would simply have to go without his services.

At least, Poseidon mused silently with a grim smile, there was little danger of the reptile being replaced. Vanity, while she would have jumped at any other chance to make her rival generals lose face, simply did not respect her slaves enough to successfully groom any of them into an effective assassin. Besides, the golden general did not even allow her servants their own minds – something they would need in order to plot out and pull off any missions of such a nature.

As for the other generals… they would not attempt to groom any of their followers to take the snake monster's place. There was too much of a risk of the same problem repeating again, possibly with an even worse outcome for them.

The snake's fall from grace had not been entirely unforeseen, of course. Poseidon had noted the first signs of slipping after the debacle involving the rebel with clear eyes.

A scowl creased the ocean general's stern face, but his displeasure was not aimed solely at the captive serpent. In his mind, the attack on the boy with clear eyes had been a foolish, needlessly risky move. If only it had not been supported by most of the other generals… Poseidon recalled all too clearly how Vanity had voiced her unwavering approval of such a venture, driven by her own desire for vengeance. However, Mew had been against targeting a mere boy at first… though her protests waned as she sensed that this course would be taken. As for himself, he had not protested his master's decision, but merely waited in silence, knowing the likely price for their attempt should it prove a failure.

It had been Aqua Cutter's first failed mission. The snake monster had not taken it well. Poseidon was fully aware of the fact that Aqua Cutter intended to finish the clear-eyed rebel off someday, no matter what it took. Doubtless the vendetta would be even stronger now, fueled by bitter remembrance of his reconditioning.

Ice blue eyes sparkled coldly with dark amusement. All for the better…

After all, who knew how the tides of battle would go? It was possible that Aqua Cutter might very well get the chance for revenge on the rebels…

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- Possible, but not likely. -

The ocean general then pushed all thoughts of his servant-turned-victim out of his mind for the time being, focusing instead on just what he would do about the rebels in his territory right now...

* * *

Meanwhile, the pirate ship continued to maintain a steady course over the ocean, sailing through the rippling waves easily. The sky was clear save for a few fluffy wisps of white clouds, and there was no sign of a storm on the horizon. All in all, it was a wonderful day to be sailing, a fine day to be alive.

But Holly barely took notice of this. Though she leaned on the railing and faced the ocean, she wasn't really watching the gentle rise and fall of the waves, nor the way that sunlight dappled the cerulean water with endless sparkles. Her thoughts were drifting elsewhere...

She had a lot to think about, after all. There were so many problems to deal with lately, Holly was once again feeling the strain of having to be the pillar of strength for her team. She could feel the stress weighing down upon her shoulders, and only hoped that she wouldn't suffer another breakdown like she had before…

Poseidon was out there, possibly lurking just beneath the waves, plotting his next assault on their small craft. His Jell troops had revealed a knack early on for random attacks: the slimy monsters would abruptly emerge from the water and start scaling the ship's sides, pulling their way up using their stretching limbs. Then it would be a race against time to knock the baddies off before they could swarm on deck and overpower the defenders.

Fortunately, so far they had been able to repel these attacks fairly well. A few of the pirates had, sadly, been overpowered and dragged to a watery grave, but these casualties thankfully could be counted on a single hand… so far, at least.

Also, Poseidon always broke off these attacks after a while, upon seeing that the rebels were getting the upper hand on his forces. When he gave the order to withdraw, the Jells evacuated instantly, breaking off all combat and fleeing. Those few defiant enough to remain found themselves the target of the ocean general's power, dragged off forcibly if they refused to obey his commands.

Holly shuddered, and wondered how long it would be before she and her friends faced that same rage directly, unhindered by Poseidon's apparent amusement with them.

There was no getting around the fact that they were currently in Poseidon's element. When it came right down to it, they were trapped in a little wooden craft bobbing helplessly in the water – water that followed the commands of its general. Surely if he wanted, Poseidon could force the pirate ship into crashing, collapsing, sinking… and taking what he desired from its shattered frame.

Yet he preferred to besiege them in a very different manner. He wanted to have his troops board, overpower and capture them, instead of picking bodies from amid splintered timbers.

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- I guess he doesn't have a lot of chances to fight anyone willing and able to resist him… From the way he seems to enjoy battles, they must be very important to him… -

Holly shivered slightly at the thought, and wondered how many other ships Poseidon had attacked and smashed to pieces before they stopped coming. She hoped that sea travel had lessened after assaults started – the concept of just how many lives might have been ended by the ocean general as he disposed of any 'invaders' chilled her to the bone.

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- If only there was a way to stop him… But right now, there's nothing we can do… -

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- I wish Genki and the others were here… -

The human maiden shook her head sharply, silently berating herself. There were far more important things for her to worry about right now than the situation Genki and the rest of his teammates were in, something she couldn't change or affect right now.

Then again, she was having trouble dealing with the things she did have a chance to change…

A faint creak from behind her caused Holly to turn around sharply, and her shoulders sagged visibly as she caught sight of the source of the sound. Hare glanced over at the girl for a moment, then dropped his gaze back down to the deck as he shuffled quietly away, dragging his feet over the planks.

Holly watched as the tan-furred rabbit wandered over to the ship's railing, silently debating whether or not she should follow and attempt once again to engage the young monster in some sort of conversation. With a sigh, she decided against it for the moment, thinking it might end up doing more harm than good. It was obvious from Hare's slumped posture and the faraway look in his wavering brown eyes as he gazed out at the ocean that he wasn't exactly in the mood to talk about whatever was troubling him.

She frowned unhappily at that thought: Hare hadn't been willing to say much of anything to her or anyone else for some time now, ever since he had thrown that fit on the deck… Holly winced at the term, but couldn't think of any better way to describe what had occurred – especially since she didn't know the full story behind it yet.

One moment, Hare had been smiling brightly, looking better than he had in some time, walking over to join her and Serinity – and the next, he had frozen in place, face twisting in sudden pain and horror, then collapsed shrieking to the deck. Nothing his shocked friends had done seemed to ease the abrupt onslaught of pain, and when the attack gradually faded, he had refused to tell them what had brought it on… if he even knew himself.

Holly had a sinking suspicion that Hare knew exactly what had caused his little scene on the deck. The bunny just outright refused to tell anybody the truth of the matter… as if he honestly believed it would be better for them not to know what had struck such fear into his heart.

__

- Do I even want to know…? -

Holly's concerned look deepened, and she continued to study Hare sadly from where she stood, still torn between wanting to approach and try yet again to get the young monster to open up and her desire not to upset him further.

What was she supposed to do? While she did have a few speculations on what might have caused Hare's current reticence, Holly wasn't certain how to breach the subject with him. And, if her fears were correct, she didn't dare discuss them with Serinity or the others… especially Serinity…

"Miss Holly?"

The human maiden started guiltily and swung around to see Serinity walking over to her. Holly quickly composed herself and waved hello to the pixie hybrid, praying the female monster wouldn't pick up on the dark thoughts she had been nursing prior to her arrival. The last thing she needed was to give Serinity something else to worry about…

However, she couldn't help but note that Serinity's verdant eyes were already filled with concern as she flitted over to Holly's side.

"Are you alright, Miss Holly?" she asked softly, the look on her face informing the girl that she already knew full well the answer to that question.

"…No, I'm not," admitted Holly, her shoulders slumping a little.

Serinity nodded once, the concern in her leaf-green eyes tempering with understanding as she followed Holly's gaze over to where Hare was standing. Turning back to her companion, she smiled a little sadly.

"…I wish he would let us know what's wrong," Serinity said slowly, "but if he's not willing to tell us, we can't force the issue. We just have to wait and make certain he understands that we're all here for him… So that when he's ready to seek our help with whatever is bothering him…"

Holly nodded slowly in agreement, and Serinity's smile brightened as she saw relief fill the human girl's face. Thankful that she had at least managed to cheer up one of her friends, the pixie hybrid turned back to watch the way sunlight crested the ocean's gentle waves, drinking in the beauty of the day for the moment in case it was shattered later by another attack.

She was blissfully unaware of the fact that the relief Holly was feeling was not for the same reason she had assumed. The human girl was thankful that Serinity had misread her anxiety as simply another aspect of her concern over Hare. While that did play a part in it, she was far more upset by certain theories that were beginning to grow in the back of her mind, feeding on her doubts and fears…

…As well as a glimpse she had gotten of silver light fading from view in the Phoenix's Tear a few days ago.

Now that her friend's attention was focused elsewhere, Holly felt her gaze drift back to where Hare was leaning against the ship's railing, as her thoughts once more drifted to darker musings…

* * *

The only reason Hare was even outside at that time was because he thought it might allay the other rebels' concerns for a while.

He had a sinking feeling it was a lost cause: the rest of the Searchers were already fully aware of the fact something was bothering him, something he wasn't telling them about. This was primarily thanks to the incident involving the Jells' assault a few days ago, but Hare couldn't help but feel that they would have picked up on his feelings even without that dramatic occurrence.

…Not that it helped that he had nearly been choked to death by one of those slimy baddies, and hadn't attempted to free himself…

Looking back, Hare couldn't help but admit that hadn't been the smartest move he could have made at that time. While allowing himself to die had seemed like the most sensible solution to all his troubles then – _And still does,_ he mused grimly – once Mocchi and Eboni had arrived on the scene, the grisly opportunity had passed. Hare recognized now that if he had started fighting back the moment he realized his friends had arrived, there was far less of a chance that they would have figured out that something was seriously wrong…

But, in the heat of the moment, caught up in self-loathing and despair over everything, he had failed to realize this. While he had used his waning strength to try and keep the enemy from hurting his friends, he had failed to try and free himself… a part of him perhaps believing – perhaps hoping? – that their assistance had come too late to save his life.

He had survived, however, thanks to Alan's quick actions. Not only that, but he later learned from Mocchi and Eboni that Poseidon had attacked immediately after 'recalling' his troops, and Serinity had discovered a new ability… Apparently the ocean general's own assault triggered something that caused the pixie hybrid to summon a small barrier of sorts, blocking his attack.

__

* So now Serinity's learning how to protect others physically as well… without resorting to attacking outright. *

Hare almost smiled at the thought: the kind-hearted pixie learning a new way to help her friends in battle without being forced to attack herself was almost a bright spot with all the horrible things occurring lately.

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* But even that doesn't help the others… *

Watering brown eyes screwed shut to keep tears from escaping down his cheeks, the tawny-furred rabbit sighed silently as memories of more of his latest visions washed over him. Bits and pieces of mostly formless nightmares, mindless terrors and fears mixed in with glimpses of terrible images he couldn't yet quite understand or explain.

More than a few of his nightmares centered around what sort of horrors poor Suezo was likely going through… languishing under Vanity's control…

Hare shuddered as a vivid memory of one such dream flashed through his mind. Being forced to watch as Suezo aided in the downfall of the canyon, ending the lives of some of the defenders – while the eyeball monster cried out in agony at being forced to murder his former allies. Only Hare had been able to hear his friend's silent sobs – him and Vanity, whose mocking laughter echoed endlessly throughout the entire nightmare, growing louder and more taunting with each helpless protest…

Hare could only hope that Suezo wasn't really aware of what he was doing while under the golden general's control – though that admittedly frail hope faded with each such vision of the eyeball monster's suffering.

Then there were the haunting dreams of his missing friend Golem, each depicting the gentle giant in some sort of danger that never seemed to be fully defined. The sense that they were running out of time to rescue him from this formless threat was always present, even if Hare was still no closer to figuring out exactly what it was – or where Golem was, for that matter.

The young rabbit absently felt at the Phoenix's Tear resting just underneath his kerchief: the crystalline tear radiated its normal faint warmth, and he knew it was glowing with its typical crimson aura as well. He had glimpsed flashes of silver in its shimmering depths from time to time, but only for brief instances, and never long enough for him to do anything about it.

He couldn't use his pendant to lock onto the others like Holly's Magic Stone: instead, it merely allowed him to temporarily sense them, what they were thinking and feeling. And Hare couldn't figure out why it responded this way, other than because of the link between them thanks to their bearing the Phoenix's spirit. He didn't have any way to take advantage of this, to find a way to help them… as much as he desperately wanted to find some such ability.

__

* And yet I keep hearing the pirates whispering about how much power I'm supposed to have. *

Hare clenched his teeth together in frustration, his grip on the Phoenix's Tear tightening. At least the fact that Horn's crew tended to be more than a bit leery of his magical abilities meant that they weren't constantly hovering around like the other Searchers, asking after his health and such. That didn't mean it hurt any less to be avoided like the plague by the Rockies, but…

The smooth crystal pressed against his palm and chest abruptly heated, and Hare knew without so much as glancing down that the teardrop's fiery aura had brightened a little.

Whirling towards Holly and Serinity – he had been fully aware of the fact they had been watching him earlier, but it figured that they'd be attempting to ignore his presence at the moment – he called out, "Hey, we've got company coming, everyone!"

"What, again?" he heard Eboni groan from nearby: he turned in time to see her hop off the barrel she'd been balancing on with Mocchi and shake her head. She sighed, then glanced up at the pink monster and asked, "Ready for another round, Mocchi?"

"Chi!"

The warning was relayed across the ship rapidly, as pirates and passengers alike prepared for the oncoming assault. Serinity and Holly retreated to the relative safety of the cabin and the stairway below decks: the pixie hybrid's healing abilities would soon come in handy again dealing with the wounded. They nodded simply in Alan's direction as the young swordsman stepped out onto the deck, blade already drawn and ready at his side. Mocchi and Eboni dropped into fighting positions, almost directly back to back, and Hare stood quietly behind them preparing a spell.

For several seconds, a tense silence fell over the gathered defenders, as all eyes scanned the surrounding waves.

Then, a single warning cry shattered the sky as some of the previously innocuous ocean erupted into slimy, pale blue limbs that shot from the water and slammed against the ship's sides, searching for possible handholds.

Controlled chaos was the best way to describe the battle that instantly ensued.

The attack pattern was almost routine this time, following the same rough template that the ocean general had devised: Jells lassoing the ship's railings or whatever else they could get a good grip on and hauling themselves on deck, lashing out at anything in their way. The defenders responded by forcing the stretchy soldiers right back off where they managed to climb up, back into the waves they emerged from – sometimes as lost discs.

Alan busied himself at one particular area of the ship's edge, using his blade to sever the arms of the Jells the moment they attached to the deck. A feral grin twisted the boy's lips as he flipped a few strands of silver-blue hair away from his furiously blazing cobalt eyes. If Holly had been able to glimpse his expression then, she may have squirmed at its remarkable similarity to the look he had once gotten on his face while beating his poor Worm monster.

At another section, Mocchi and Eboni were having equal success driving the would-be boarders off by double-teaming the Jells. The Evil Hare's foot crashed into one baddie's side and sent it flying into two others, then all three were sent flying back into the water by one blast of a sakura-strewn whirlwind. Eboni hopped slightly from side to side as she threw a quick smile in Mocchi's direction and waited for another Jell to climb up so she could knock it back down.

She didn't notice as another Jell attempted to charge her from the side, primarily because a well-timed burst of crimson flame sent that one flying into the water as well.

Hare smirked, allowing himself an instant of amusement at the stunned baddie's expression when he was knocked away, then turned his full attention back to the task at hand. The tawny-furred bunny stood a little ways behind the other young rebels, laying cover fire for them as well as anyone else he noticed nearby who was having difficulty driving their foes backward.

__

* If we can keep this up, they should be giving up soon… *

He stole a quick glance down at the furiously blazing pendant at his neck: his bandana had shifted enough that he could clearly see the Phoenix's Tear's vibrant aura. It also more or less announced where he was positioned to any of the enemies who might see him, but Hare could care less about that right now. Far more pressing matters were on his mind.

As if cued by his drifting thoughts, the battle began to ebb slightly, as the defenders continued to push the enemy soldiers back into the water. Fewer and fewer of the Jells attempted to climb onto the deck, convinced to retreat by the unforgiving front they faced. The waves churned as more of the baddies returned to their relatively safe grasp, vanishing from sight as the clear liquid spread over their translucent bodies.

"Lucky!" chirped Eboni, flashing a grin and a wink in Mocchi's direction as she saw the enemy's retreat.

"Lucky-chi!"

"It's not over yet."

"???"

Eboni and Mocchi both glanced toward Hare, mildly surprised by the grim look on the tawny-furred bunny's face.

"What do you…?"

Eboni trailed off as Hare abruptly snapped his head up and stared towards a certain point in the ocean. His brown eyes wavered with fear despite the steady posture he was maintaining, even as a fiery aura began to flicker around his body.

"He's coming," was the only explanation he gave for this action.

Mocchi and Eboni stared at him for a moment, then whirled to follow Hare's unwavering gaze toward the ocean. The point he was gazing towards slowly began to ripple, the waters churning as they parted, allowing a towering figure to rise from their shadowy depths. Soon, Poseidon had emerged up to his waist, and floated in stony silence with arms folded over his thick chest, just watching the boat in silence.

The young Searchers returned his gaze firmly. Eboni dropped into a defensible position, as if expecting to engage the ocean general in hand-to-hand combat – an impossible feat, yet her ready stance radiated pure defiance all the same. Beside her, Mocchi balled tiny hands into fists, glaring at the titan. The pink monster braced himself much in the same fashion he did whenever he launched a Mocchi Cannon – whether or not he was actually preparing to use that attack was left up for his opponent to try and guess.

Just behind them, Hare gripped his pendant nervously in both paws. A flickering barrier of crimson spread to cover both the tan bunny and his two companions, tinting their view of their enemy with scarlet.

Those pirates who remained on deck carefully edged away from the spectacle, many eyeing both the ocean general and the trio of rebels with equal amounts of fear. While the majority were glad they had this extra boost of firepower on their side, to see it in action was entirely another matter for those unused to such abilities.

Alan stood close at hand and gripped his sword's hilt nervously, deciding against running over to join his comrades. Gathering all of their current fighters together in one place seemed too risky a move – even with the protection offered by Hare's shields.

It certainly didn't help his confidence any that Poseidon didn't appear to be in the slightest bit fazed by the sight of three of the rebels standing behind a blazing barrier of crimson light.

Instead, the ocean general merely looked on calmly, his stoic expression unchanged, without the tiniest hint of fear in his eyes. Once again, Hare found himself staring intently at those unfeeling blue orbs, like twin sheets of frosted glass, and shuddered at their lack of emotion: even a stone showed more emotion than this… 

A half-formed thought pushed its way to the front of his mind abruptly, and Hare gasped involuntarily. Instantly he attempted to dispel it, not even wanting to acknowledge such a concept, but once formed the idea could not be forgotten.

The only recourse left – the only way he could reject the now formed theory completely – was to find a way to disprove it.

Hesitantly, Hare took a faltering step forward, still staring towards Poseidon. It was almost as if the tawny-furred rabbit feared that looking away from the titan would shatter whatever resolve he had gained towards this course of action. He didn't even spare a glance at his friends when Mocchi and Eboni caught at his arms, so he didn't see how their faces were filling with confusion and fear.

"Hare, chi…?"

"You okay…?"

The bearer of the Phoenix's Tear still didn't look at his friends' worried faces even as he slowly shook his head in the negative. Gently pulling away from their grasp, he continued to walk forward slowly. The two youngest Searchers started to follow, only to discover they could no longer pass through the protective barrier Hare had summoned around them.

From their cover nearby, Holly and Serinity watched the entire scene unfold in stunned astonishment. As Eboni began to beat on the fiery shield in frustration, shouting something neither of the girls could hear, Serinity glanced at Holly, puzzlement evident in her wide verdant eyes.

"Why did Hare just do that?" she queried.

Holly just shook her head in slow denial as memories of certain incidents that seemed all too similar flooded over her – memories of standing trapped behind barriers put up by someone wanting only to protect her and the others… while facing some terrible threat alone…

"No…" she breathed, swallowing in a futile attempt to fight the growing lump in her throat. "Hare can't mean to… he can't fight Poseidon by himself…"

Serinity blinked, then gasped and turned away, about to sprint outside. However, Holly's hand shot out and seized the pixie hybrid's shoulder, forcing her back down.

"No! Stay here!" commanded the girl.

Serinity gave her a disbelieving look.

"B-but we can't allow Hare to…"

"I know how you feel, but if we rush out there to help, Hare will just trap us behind a shield too!" Holly forced a rueful smile, emotions warring in her wavering bronze eyes. "'For our own safety', of course. We'll have to wait this out for a while, watch and see what happens – and get out there if he needs our help."

It was obvious from the human maiden's expression that she sincerely wished that Hare would not end up needing their assistance. Serinity stared at her for a long, breathless moment, then slowly, reluctantly nodded understanding before turning her attention back to the drama unfolding before them.

Alan was also hanging back, his sword gripped tightly in both sweaty palms. The almost overwhelming urge to rush in and stop Hare from getting any closer to the ocean general was tempered by remembrance of standing trapped and helpless while watching the battle with Moo back in the stronghold. As much as staying back and doing nothing in this grim situation grated on his nerves, the thought of being forced to comply like that was even more unappealing.

Even if it was primarily meant to protect them from harm… trapped was trapped.

Hare had reached the ship's railing, and stood quietly watching Poseidon, no longer moving, not making a sound. The ocean general gazed back at him, thankfully not making a move yet as well.

__

- What is he doing? Is he surrendering himself to my master or what? Why isn't he saying any… -

Suddenly Poseidon's eyes widened a fraction as he felt something…off. For a fleeting instant, something lightly touched his mind… Like a butterfly briefly alighting on a flower, only to take off as its fragile wings brushed a thorn, _something_ pressed against his thoughts for a moment…

Staring down at where Hare was standing, Poseidon saw that something flickered briefly in the little rabbit's wavering brown eyes for a second. Confusion lit the tan lapine's face, though he fought to keep it concealed, while at his chest the Phoenix's Tear burned a bit brighter…

__

- …Ah… I see… -

One corner of Poseidon's firmly set mouth quirked upward in what might have almost been the beginning of a smile.

__

- Apparently the little one is stumbling across a new ability… -

The ocean general recognized the sensation now: that of one mind trying to touch another's, to gain information by reading images… memories. He doubted the young bunny was even fully aware of what he was doing, since the mental touch was very faint, barely flickering against the exterior of his mind. It had none of the raw power of one of Moo's mind touches… While Poseidon's master tore into the inner recesses and wiped everything clean, ravaging what did not suit his purposes, this was a light prodding, lacking the force needed to do anything other than quietly lift images and retreat.

Scorn flickered briefly in the aquamarine eyes: how fitting that the power of the Phoenix barely compared to that of Master Moo.

Then scorn turned to amusement: he could sense the little rabbit's purpose for the fleeting touch now.

__

- How…cute. He wants to find his friend… Golem… -

The normally stoic, emotionless face twisted slightly with a cruel sneer.

__

- I shall give him what he seeks… -

Aquamarine eyes narrowed slightly, and auburn eyes widened as a flood of images passed in an instant's thought between minds. The Phoenix's Tear flashed brilliantly for an instant – not crimson, but silver.

Hare's body stiffened, and a blood curdling shriek ripped from his gaping mouth as he reeled backward. Behind him, Eboni and Mocchi added their own cries to the piercing shriek, though they were mostly drowned out by the horrible sound.

"HARE!"

"HARE-CHI!"

The tawny-furred bunny's body crashed to the deck, and the fiery shield flashed out of existence. Mocchi and Eboni barely noticed as they raced through the space where it had been standing and to their fallen friend's side.

"Oh, Goddesses…" moaned Alan, temporarily frozen by shock where he stood.

"No!"

Serinity came running out on deck, tears blurring her verdant eyes as she stumbled awkwardly forward. Holly was directly on the pixie's heels, and she reached out to steady the hybrid as she sunk to her knees at Hare's side.

"What happened to him?"

"I-I don't know… I can't tell…" sobbed the horrified Serinity as she touched the fallen rabbit's body with a healing spell, already casting her power into him. "The-there's no injury that I can tell… but…"

"But what?"

Serinity looked up at Holly, leaf green eyes filling with cold dread.

"…His mind is in turmoil… That's all I can…"

"Hey! What did you do to our friend?"

Startled, Holly snapped her head up, and felt her breath catch in her throat. Eboni was leaning against the railing where Hare had been, shaking both fists at Poseidon and screaming in outrage. Mocchi was right beside her, glaring out at the ocean general with equal hatred in his eyes. Both were leaning out so far that, were it not for the railing, they would have plummeted straight into the water.

"Mocchi! Eboni!" she called desperately.

"Tell me! What did you do to him?!?" demanded Eboni, ignoring Holly completely. "I swear if you hurt my friend, Poseidon, I'll find a way to turn you into nothin' more than a puddle!"

"Chi!"

"Are you two insane?" Alan cursed as he ran up and yanked the two away from the railing.

Poseidon merely looked on, amused by the entire spectacle. The aquamarine giant shook his head slightly, arms crossed over his chest.

"I did nothing more than gave him what he wanted," he replied cryptically.

"What does that mean…?" Holly started to ask, then cut herself off as Hare moaned.

Turning her attention back to her friend, Holly felt her eyes widen slightly as Hare's flickered open for a moment. The brown orbs were empty, foggy, lacking any hint of the spirit and intelligence that normally shone so brightly in their depths.

__

- …Exactly like they were back in the canyon… -

This time, however, the Phoenix's Tear was not glowing with an eerie sapphire light. Instead, it had adopted a silver sheen…

Holly shuddered, then jumped as she realized with a start that Hare's lips were moving slightly, as if he were struggling to speak. Cradling the bunny's shuddering frame in her arms, the human maiden leaned in to listen as best she could. The whispering voice that came out was weak, faint, and sounded nothing like Hare, and it sent more shudders up her back as she listened…

"…Tiger… how could you… do that to… Golem… how could…"

Holly's bronze eyes widened even further, tears that she hadn't even realized had been building slipping down her cheeks as the implications crashed down upon her.

"No…" she murmured, shaking her head slowly.

Raising her head, she gazed out past the concerned faces of the other rebels, out toward where Poseidon was standing. Watering bronze eyes met cold aquamarine ones, and she recoiled at the cruel, knowing smirk that contorted the ocean general's stony face.

Then, he turned away and silently vanished under the waves once more, withdrawing from the battle until once again he deigned it time to assault the pirate ship.

Holly silently watched as Poseidon disappeared from sight, then dropped her gaze back down to the shimmering pendant resting on Hare's heaving chest. The steady silver glow faded away, ebbing back into the typical crimson aura that normally pulsed inside the crystalline teardrop.

A single one of the girl's own tears fell against the smooth surface of the pendant, then Holly allowed a despairing sob to escape her lungs as she hugged Hare's unconscious body to her, ignoring the startled and concerned cries of her companions.

A dam had burst inside her. This was simply too much to take…

__

- Oh… Goddesses… Golem…

__

- Golem… is… -

Serinity and the other Searchers stared in shock at the sobbing girl, not knowing how to react. Then, hesitantly, the pixie hybrid reached out and carefully wrapped her arms around her friend's shoulders in a calming embrace, just as she recalled her elders doing when she was but a child crying helplessly.

It was all she could offer Holly until she learned what was wrong…

A grim silence fell over the pirate ship, broken only by the sounds of Holly's heaving sobs as the small band of rebels looked on, watching as their leader broke down. Holly buried her face in Serinity's shoulder, and the pixie hybrid rubbed her back in a calming gesture, while Hare lay beside them, unconscious, the crimson aura of the Phoenix's Tear bathing all three in a light scarlet hue…


	27. Predator, Pack and Prey

* * * Episode Twenty-seven: Predator, Pack and Prey * * *

A pair of slender legs waved idly back and forth in midair in a repetitive, lazy fashion, a lackadaisical movement born out of no real necessity other than the sake of mere movement. The feminine body they belonged to was currently sprawled out over a velvet-lined chair, the undignified position a stark contrast to the regally designed throne.

Vanity was bored out of her mind.

Suppressing a yawn, the golden general stretched out languidly, shifting her weight so that her fragile wings were not trapped beneath her body. They beat softly, lazily against her throne's intricate frame as she studied one fine-boned hand, stretching the slender fingers in front of her narrowed emerald eyes, light gleaming off the pointed claw-like fingernails.

It has been said that 'idle hands are the devil's workshop'. When those same hands are capable of weaving spells that can cloud minds and end lives, then the old adage takes on an even darker and truer meaning.

Vanity flexed her fingers slightly, running several possibilities for some brief entertainment though her mind.

__

- I could practice some of my attacks… Nah, don't feel like calling any of my slaves in to serve as targets this time. Even if I do give them back their minds as they die, it's always the same: begging for mercy, screaming in agony, cursing me with their last breath… Highly amusing at times, but not quite what I want now… -

__

- Perhaps more… physical pleasures…? …No, best not risk approaching him just now. My lord is still quite upset at having received no reports from Poseidon concerning the rebels in his territory… -

A coy smirk curled the golden general's lips for a heartbeat's time: any disappointment her master felt with her peers was typically good news for her. Poseidon was one of the more withdrawn of the commanders, preferring not to speak with Master Moo until he had finished whatever he had set out to accomplish. But his continued reticence on the matter of the Searchers in his territory was an annoyance, particularly now…

Jaden eyes narrowed slightly, calculatingly.

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- …Rebels… -

__

- A few of the mutts are still running around free, along with most of their Searcher friends… Pity some escaped our grasp for the time being… -

__

- …Pity… -

She smiled, though the expression held no warmth. Abruptly she righted herself, swinging her feet around to the front of the throne and standing. After smoothing her silken garb out a bit, the golden general tipped her head back slightly so that she would have been staring at the vaulted ceiling had she not closed her eyes. The medallion pinned at her robe's neckline shone briefly with a deep saffron hue, then the light swiftly spread to coat her slender body and with a flash, she had vanished from her chambers.

* * *

A pair of mismatched eyes, one of frosted gold, the other of blazing crimson, gazed out through a reflection of themselves toward the world beyond the curved windowpane. Beyond the cool glass lay a crowded canyon, the once barren cliffs dotted with tents and makeshift barracks.

Once this had been the home of a pack of lupine monsters; now, it belonged to Moo and his followers. Soldiers ran through practice drills where pups had once frolicked, while other warriors rested where their former opponents had slept prior to their defeat. The teaming camp bore scant resemblance to its past, the familiar landscape blotted out by the shadow of his reign.

A pleased smirk pulled slightly at the visible side of the tyrant's lips.

"The canyon looks absolutely gorgeous this morning, my liege."

Moo did not so much as blink at the interruption, simply shifting his gaze slightly toward the reflected figure of the newcomer. He did not even turn to face his golden general directly, as if deeming addressing her immediately as beneath him.

Vanity seemed unaffected by his non-reaction, as her jaden eyes also roved over the scene outside. The smile that graced her ruby lips might have been beautiful had it not in remembrance of the carnage that had ravaged the land before her, prior to their occupation of the territory.

"Absolutely breathtaking," she went on. "Hard to believe those slobbering beasts once laid claim to such a lovely area… It's so much more beautiful now that you've rid it of that little… infestation."

"…Hn."

The golden general let her smile widen slightly: although her master still did not turn towards her, she did not need to glimpse the visible side of his masked face to know that his lips twitched briefly in a cold smirk at her statement. Aware that he was receptive to her words even if his body language seemed to say otherwise, she pushed on, carefully choosing how to phrase her next comment.

"It is truly a pity that some of those insects managed to scurry away…Such a dreadful thought, that some of those mangy mongrels and their worthless allies are still out there licking their wounds, racking their tiny brains for some way to strike back at us… As if they have any real chance of seriously hurting us…"

"………" The mismatched eyes focused a little more intently on the golden pixie's reflection.

"Still, they could be a minor nuisance," Vanity conceded slowly, making a show of frowning thoughtfully. "Picking off a few of our less experienced forces here and there… Since the few so-called 'Searchers' appear to have survived, they could pose a tiny threat to some of our warriors, since we've had difficulties with them in the past…"

"What are you suggesting?" interrupted Moo, arching his visible eyebrow at the golden general's image.

Vanity looked up and smiled wickedly, unperturbed by being cut off. Her deep jaden eyes gleamed.

"Allow me to look into this dilemma, my lord," she proposed. "I could take a few of my soldiers into the woods and keep an eye out for any sign of refugees, so to speak… After we locate wherever the pests have hidden their new nest, steps can be taken to ensure their complete extermination…"

"…As you wish. I trust that you already have a few plans in mind when it comes to… dealing with the survivors…"

"Oh, of course, Master Moo," and the golden general curtsied, blonde bangs shadowing the upper half of her face as her cruel smirk widened. "Believe me, I already have everything I need. I even know exactly which of my servants that are going to accompany me…"

* * *

Silver glinted briefly in the setting sun's light, drawing attention to a figure perched in the branches of a tree on the forest's edge. Were it not for this tiny sparkle of steel the tree's occupant would have been much more difficult to pick out from the tangled leaves and limbs. Scaler quickly remedied the problem with a simple tug on his leather cloak, adjusting the garment so that it once more concealed the weapon resting idly in his other hand.

"…Getting careless," he muttered under his breath, brow furrowing slightly in annoyance at his own error.

__

- Too much crap to worry about… Must be making me slip… -

Scaler shook his head, grimacing, dark violet-brown eyes hardening with self-disgust.

__

- Goddess, I sound like a child. No sense blaming my own mistakes on things out of my control… Don't want to be half as pathetic as the rest of those… -

Again the green rabbit shook his head, berating himself one final time to focus on his purpose for sitting in that tree in the first place. It wasn't anything nearly as idyllic or childish as watching the sun set, after all… While the way the sky changed to hues of orange and crimson, then gradually faded to softer pink, violet and cobalt was quite the sight, it was far better appreciated by minds less burdened than his.

__

- As well as more innocent minds… -

Violet-brown eyes abruptly narrowed, and Scaler leaned forward on the branch, gripping the dagger he had drawn under his cloak a bit tighter. Part of the rock-strewn grass a few feet away from the forest's edge had looked blurred and distorted for a second… While it might have been a trick of the fading light, the rabbit's instincts screamed otherwise. Crouching silently in the concealing branches, he waited patiently, sharp gaze fixed on the spot.

Once again, his hunch proved correct: again the spot blurred, then a small burst of golden light that would have gone otherwise unnoted thanks to the setting set followed. A group of monsters appeared where moments before there had been no sign of life. Scaler's eyes narrowed further as he recognized the monsters' breeds and type – and, more importantly, the identity of one of the new arrivals.

Golden General Vanity glanced around, dark emerald eyes scanning over the cluster of trees before her. The saffron-skinned pixie hybrid was surrounded by a hand's count of her suezo-type slaves: a pair of Melon Suezos and three Fly Eyes, all obviously picked for their skin tones, which would blend in fairly easily with the forest's surroundings. Scaler's grip on the hilt of his blade tightened a bit more in anticipation as he waited for his suspicions to be confirmed.

He didn't have to wait long. Vanity finished scanning the woods quickly, her steady gaze not even faltering as it swept over the cloaked rabbit's concealed perch. Turning to her minions, she nodded once in satisfaction, then placed her hands on her hips.

"I assume you understand the importance of this mission," she said in a haughty tone that hinted she actually made no such presumption. Sweeping one slender arm out in a grand, imperious gesture towards the woods behind her, she continued, "Somewhere in the shadows cast by these trees lurks an infestation of pests that you should locate for our lord and master. The sooner we rid ourselves of these annoying insects, the better."

Her five servants said nothing in reply to this order: the glassy-eyed slaves were not meant to offer anything other than simple, fast obedience, after all. Vanity's ruby lips curled in derision as she gave her followers another once-over, then the pixie nodded once more, short golden hair bobbing with the movement.

"Let's get moving," she demanded, whirling on her heel and starting into the forest.

The eyeball monsters filed silently after her, spreading out slightly to flank her on all sides as they entered the woods. Scaler shifted on his perch carefully, making certain that the slight adjustment in his posture did not give him away as he continued to study the band of intruders.

__

- So, Moo's finally decided to start hounding us again… -

It wasn't exactly a huge surprise to the scaled hare that the enemy was once again seeking them out. The only thing he found remotely unexpected about it was that the tyrant had waited so long before starting to hunt the survivors down. Scaler had fully expected a horde of baddies to come crashing into the woods immediately after the canyon fell, but perhaps Moo had been satisfied with the relative easiness of taking over the wolves' home and basked in the glory of that conquest for a while.

__

- Or perhaps he didn't see the remnants of our band as worth his time… -

Dark eyes blazed in the shadows as Scaler stood. Whatever the cause of their brief reprieve, it had finally ended once the golden general had arrived with her handful of slaves. Although the small band of eyeball monsters may not have appeared to be a serious threat, Scaler knew it was only the beginning of their troubles.

__

- Best to take care of this little problem while I can… Even if it likely won't change much of what's coming… -

A blur of green and tan detached itself from the treetop with only a faint rustling to mark its passing as it faded into the shadows and struck off after the band of intruders.

* * *

Vanity's jaden eyes shone with malicious pleasure as the golden general strode confidently forward, flanked by her silent slaves. Crimson lips were curled into a sly smile, and dark blonde hair shimmered faintly in the dimming light as the sun's last few rays penetrated the forest.

Although once she had prided herself on her ability to run missions without ever getting involved in battling directly, the pixie hybrid's loss to Holly and her Searchers had forced Vanity to decide upon modifying her ways. While she still disliked getting her hands dirty, by managing her servants wisely she found she was able to participate in missions without risk to herself. Her eyeball monsters would take any attacks meant for her while the pixie toyed with her unfortunate opponents – Vanity had discovered quickly that she had a knack for making the last moments of her enemies' lives miserable.

The golden general had even dressed in an outfit she deemed 'appropriate' for her current mission, temporarily trading in the luxurious silken, sensual gowns she had taken to wearing since her promotion to one of Moo's finest for less flimsy finery. The dark-colored outfit she had chosen was closer in cut to the typical pixie ensemble, though obviously of a finer fabric than most of her kind wore. Her medallion was pinned proudly upon her top for all that glimpsed her to see.

Even without her typical finery, however, it was clear that Vanity considered herself a monster of great status, far above the weaklings she helped oppress. The dirtiest rags could not conceal the feel of the noblewoman about her – as if the golden general would soil her flawless appearance with such things.

Absently, she reached up and stroked her cheek with fine-boned fingers, feeling the thin scar just beneath one of her deep emerald eyes. Her ruby lips tightened into a firm, set line as she traced the mark, an unpleasant reminder of what her former insistence on letting her minions do the vast majority of her fighting.

__

Shows what happens when you rely solely on pathetic eyeballs…

But as much as she loathed the suezo race, they had their uses. Their exceptionally sharp vision would come in handy for scouting out any sign of the wolves' escape route, and once she had located their new den, the hunt could truly begin. Moo's warriors would easily wipe out the pests once they knew where they were hiding…

Again jaden eyes scanned the emerald shadows surrounding her, checking for the low-slung figures of lupine monsters. If any of the wolves happened to stumble across her path, so much the better… Save her some time tramping through these woods.

Had she chosen to turn and stare directly up into the treetops behind her, the golden general might have caught a quick glimpse of steel glinting through the leaves as Scaler adjusted his position a bit, exposing his blade for a few precious seconds. However, Vanity was far too focused on sweeping the bushes for any sign of lupine stragglers.

Simply because it escaped her notice, however, did not mean her sharper-eyed servants were quite so inattentive to their surroundings.

The pixie's five escorts were continuously moving their heads slowly from side to side, soulless gazes sweeping the area. As Scaler shifted his weight, one of the Fly Eyes paused in his steady surveillance, faceted pupil shifting to fixate on the foliage directly before the cloaked rabbit. 

A flash of steel abruptly shot from the spot and speared through the Fly Eye's pupil.

The unfortunate slave slumped to the ground, dusky skin already pulsing with the dull glow that preceded death. Instantly his remaining fellow servants spun to gaze with eerily neutral faces at his forming lost discs. His mistress's face, however, twisted instantly with a mixture of surprise and rage as she whirled around.

"What–?"

Vanity's startled exclamation was cut off as a volley of silver streaks exploded from the treetops. Instinctively the golden general sprang backward, wings unfurling and pumping the air to propel her lithe body further away from the deadly shower. Her slaves reacted as well, vanishing to reappear a few feet away, out of their attacker's range for the moment.

Not all of the eyeball monsters reacted in time, however. One of the Melon Suezos was caught in mid-transfer, several of the thin blades tearing through her dark green skin. As she fell to the ground beside the lost disc of her comrade, a blur of tan detached itself from the tree and darted forward.

"Oh no you don't!" Vanity snarled, golden lightning arcing from slender fingers toward the moving target.

Around her, the three surviving suezos charged their own counterattacks. Soulless irises glowed with searing light, and a series of white-hot beams lanced out, flanking bolts of bright gold electricity.

The brown-green blur slowed slightly to avoid the blasts, giving Vanity a clearer view of her opponent. She caught only a glimpse of long, green ears and a fluttering leather cloak, however, before the figure sprang back into the cover of the trees. Hissing in frustration, the golden general fired relentlessly into the foliage, her own blasts joined by those of her slaves and bodyguards.

Behind the sparse cover afforded him by the entwining leaves and branches, Scaler dodged back and forth as best he could, weaving through the tangled brush. The cloaked rabbit gritted his teeth as a bolt of golden electricity seared through leather to graze his shoulder, knowing that any sound he made would only serve to give him away.

Landing on a sturdy branch a bit harder than he would have liked, Scaler spared a quick glance at his wound. A nasty burn blackened the soft scales, and again he bit back a hiss as he flexed his arm experimentally. The shoulder throbbed painfully a bit as he moved, but not enough that the arm was useless: a small blessing considering his current position.

Scaler's frustrated grimace deepened as he slid a few more of his throwing daggers out of their sheaths. The previous volley had not quite had its intended effect, taking out only one of the golden general's bodyguards instead of dispatching all of them as he had hoped. Contrary to what his allies might think from what they had seen of his battle tactics, he did not have an infinite amount of blades stashed under his cloak. Now the majority of his throwing daggers were out of reach, stuck in the ground near his enemies where he could not easily retrieve them.

__

All right then… – He shifted his weight carefully, gripping the handle of one of his heavier swords – _Best I make this one count, then…_

Taking careful aim, the cloaked rabbit then snapped his arm back, and, with one fluid movement, sent the blade flashing through the trees.

It struck a thick branch several feet away from him with a loud thump. The leaves around it quivered at its passing. Vanity smirked coldly at the dull sound.

"You're slipping, rebel," she taunted, as golden lightning and blazing eye-beams lashed out mercilessly.

Scaler smiled thinly as the blasts of deadly energy seared through the leaves to strike the short sword he had thrown, even as he took advantage of his enemy's distraction. Again several smaller blades streaked through the glade, but while the volley was far smaller this time, his opponents did not have the advantage of knowing his position this time.

His success, however, was mixed, for while the three remaining eyeball monsters fell to this rear assault, their bulky bodies also blocked Vanity from being struck. As her servants collapsed about her, the golden general broke off her assault on where the sword had landed and whirled about in alarm.

"What—?!?"

Dark emerald eyes swept from side to side, seeking her opponent, but Scaler had already faded back into the concealing forest. Vanity glared about furiously, sparks dancing around her clenched fists as she searched futilely for any sign of the cloaked rabbit.

Even as she looked about, the golden general began to edge gradually backward. The situation was getting too out of control for her liking: while the loss of her slaves was not exactly a big deal and she could easily summon more to her side, the enclosed nature of the forest worked against her. One or two eyeball monsters might be able to teleport to her side without incident, but there was always a chance with more of them that several would attempt to appear where a tree or other object already took up space.

Not that she cared about what would happen to anything caught like that. It was just a very messy process that could further compromise her safety.

The golden general continued to edge backward, mind working furiously. Yes, it was much better to leave now, gather a more sizable force, and then return to deal with the wolves and their pesky rebel allies. Even if it meant having to expend more servants than she had previously believed necessary to fulfil her purposes, it didn't matter. The eyeball monsters were worthless, anyway: expending more of their useless lives was nothing major…

She spun on her heel just in time to see a flash of steel streaking toward her face. Instinctively she sprang into the air, letting the thin blade fly past to bury itself in the ground at her feet, then found herself backpedaling rapidly as a shadow lunged at her and lashed out with a far larger blade.

Vanity stumbled backward, alarm flooding briefly over her features before she could contain herself. Seeing the jaden eyes light for an instant with pure fear, Scaler allowed a cold smirk to tug at one corner of his firmly set mouth. Blades glittered in both hands as he slowly withdrew them from the concealing folds of his leather cloak.

However, her shock swiftly faded, and the dark verdant eyes narrowed into slits as the golden general silently and sternly called for another's assistance. The air separating temptress and warrior blurred as an interloper answered his mistress's command. Suezo stared at the cloaked rabbit impassively, his dull yellow-green pupil holding not even the slightest hint of emotion as he faced off with his former companion.

Scaler paused, his bangs casting shadows over his face while his violet-brown eyes narrowed slightly. His face remained completely neutral as he considered this new development.

Behind the eyeball monster, Vanity let out a mocking laugh, one hand half-covering the corner of her mouth.

"Well, well, well…" she purred, smirking at her opponent from the relative safety of where she stood behind her servant. "It seems you forgot about this little angle of things, rebel. Are you truly willing to go through your friend…"

She was cut short as Scaler abruptly smirked and charged forward in a blur of tan and green. Suezo instantly lunged forward to meet the rabbit's charge, and there was a brief flash of steel lashing out as the two met. Vanity squeaked and sprang into the air as Scaler skidded to a halt where she had been standing moments before. The scaled hare glanced briefly up at her flying figure, glimpsed the naked shock on the golden general's face, and smirked.

"You honestly believe I'm not willing to go through a traitor like him to get to you?" he asked, his smirk twisting into a cruel smile, his smoldering eyes the only light in his shadowed face. "Please…"

Vanity just gaped down at him, struggling and failing to conceal her utter shock. This was certainly not a twist she had foreseen…

Scaler's attention was drawn back to his other opponent as he caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of one eye. Suezo had recovered from the rabbit's initial strike, and as the cloaked hare pivoted to face him, turned slowly toward his target. There was a shallow gash stretching along one side of his tail, and blood was beginning to well in the fresh cut.

Nevertheless, the eyeball monster was standing, driven by his mistress's continuous commands to protect her from this threat – or die trying.

Lunging forward, his maw gaping wide, Suezo attempted to tear into the cloaked hare with his teeth. Scaler nimbly dodged out of harm's way, though not fast enough to keep the very tip of his leather cape from being caught in the eyeball's mouth. Teeth instantly clamped down on the garment, and Scaler lost his footing as his opponent's momentum yanked him backward. Thankfully, the leather stretched, then tore with a sickening rending noise before the problem became any worse.

Still, Scaler grimaced as he regained his balance just in time to duck beneath another leaping lunge. Had he not been swift enough, it could just as easily been flesh and fur being torn to shreds instead of a piece of leather.

Again his blades flashed out as Suezo rushed forward, and again steel bit into yellow skin, drawing out a small gush of crimson fluid as the edge was pulled back out this time. The eyeball monster barely flinched, all emotions and reactions dampened by the golden general's iron grip on his mind and body. The pain remained; he simply could not react to it thanks to her control, save to continue attacking the one whom had caused his wounds.

"Kill him!" screeched Vanity from where she hovered above the battlefield. Sweat plastered no longer shining golden bangs to her contorted face as she cursed, "Damn you!"

It was unclear whether her condemnation was directed at Scaler or Suezo. Perhaps both.

The unrestrained fury in the pixie hybrid's shrill voice caused a cruel smirk to twist the scaled hare's firmly pressed lips. Violet-brown eyes gleamed under a forest of jagged bangs, casting shadows over most of his face as he once again met his current opponent's charge. This time, however, just as Suezo was bearing down upon him, he sprang straight into the air.

Suezo skidded to a halt where moments before his opponent had been standing. The dull, foggy green-gold pupil flashed glances from side to side, searching for any glimpse of his target. Above him, Vanity also looked around warily, fluttering higher into the air just in case the rabbit dared try to attack her directly.

A blur of tan and green separated from the surrounding forest, seeming to appear out of nowhere just above the eyeball monster. Under a veil of bangs, a cold smirk widened. Glittering blades shot from a sweeping paw to bury themselves in dirt and mud – and flesh.

Had Suezo access to his own voice, he surely would have let out a blood-curdling scream as a thick knife buried itself all the way to its hilt in his tail, slicing through to pin him to the ground. As it was, the enslaved monster stiffened as pain exploded up his tail, then collapsed limply to the hard ground as merciful darkness claimed his foggy mind.

Scaler landed beside the fallen monster and spared the barest glance at his handiwork: two other blades had struck true on either side of Suezo's tail, helping further secure him to the ground. Still, perhaps it was overkill, considering that the largest of his throwing daggers now bit through flesh and ground alike.

Whirling towards where Vanity was still hovering above the battlefield, Scaler reached into his cloak for more blades. However, the golden general was obviously no longer willing to continue her hunt. Jaden eyes blazed with verdant flames as she glared down at her would-be prey, keeping safely out of range.

"Damn you," she snarled, clenching at the medallion pinned upon her torn tunic's chest.

A burst of pale yellow light nearly blinded the scaled hare, and when it faded the golden general was no longer in sight.

Scaler glared at the space where Vanity had been for several heartbeats, as if silently willing her to reappear and attempt to regain what she had just lost this night. However, after a few moments he was forced to acknowledge that the golden general had escaped his wrath for now… A low groaning behind the green rabbit reminded him of other affairs he needed to finish.

Pivoting smoothly on his heel, Scaler faced the fallen body of his former comrade, his former enemy. A weak, low-pitched keening came from the eyeball monster as his pinned tail twitched reflexively. Scaler was not worried about Suezo freeing himself from the trap: he knew each movement sent bolts of agony rippling up the victim's side, rendering all but the strongest of monsters unable to do little more than whimper helplessly.

Scaler approached him slowly. A slight flick of one wrist allowed a stiletto to slide into his waiting palm. Fingers twined expertly over the carved hilt, flipping it into a ready position, one finger rubbing lightly, gingerly along the thin blade.

Soon, Scaler was looking down upon his fallen opponent. Suezo's pained moans fell upon deaf ears as impassive violet-brown eyes swept over the toppled body once.

Droplets of crimson blood continued to well around the blade piercing the monster's tail: the dagger helped block the wound in addition to causing it. Still, the victim would slowly bleed to death without intervention one way or another…

Straightening his arm, Scaler raised the stiletto he had drawn into the air. Dark eyes rapidly scanned Suezo's body for the proper place to strike in order to end his suffering as quickly as possible. Settling upon a spot, the cloaked rabbit prepared his strike.

"_NO!_"

Startled, Scaler whipped his head up sharply to see Coltia standing several feet away. It was obvious that the girl had just arrived: even from this distance, Scaler could see her chest heaving in tune with her ragged breathing, see the sweat trickling down her white face.

He could also see the stark horror and fear in her widened caramel eyes.

The green rabbit's violet-brown eyes darkened with anger and annoyance, and he allowed his raised arm to fall limply to his side as the girl stumbled forward, a few wolves at her heels.

"Perfect," he hissed through gritted teeth, so softly that only he was aware that he had even spoken.

__

- This is just what we needed… Now they'll insist on dragging this out instead of solving it immediately, risking everything we've managed to accomplish… as pitiful as that is. -

He shook his head in dismay, but stepped back without a word of complaint, knowing better than to contest the issue right now. There was no working around the raw emotion that shone clearly in the girl's eyes as she crouched beside the fallen Suezo, choking out cries for help to her companions.

__

- I only pray that she and the others come to realize the truth of the matter before it is too late to salvage this situation… Before others die because they refuse to let go of the past… -

Coltia was aware of Scaler's dark gaze burning into her back, but ignored it as best she could, struggling to focus instead on Suezo. The eyeball monster needed her attention and help right now.

Without a second thought she yanked on her tunic's left sleeve, ripping a length of fabric from the arm. The garment was torn already from previous encounters, so it wasn't worth really salvaging, save for other purposes. Seizing the dagger lodged in the fallen monster's tail, Coltia gritted her teeth and pulled, casting the weapon to one side while fighting back a shudder at the sight of the crimson-stained blade.

As she wrapped the makeshift bandage around Suezo's wound, hoping to stop at least some of the bleeding, the eyeball monster let out a faint moan. Casting a quick glance at his face, Coltia suppressed a gasp, for a tiny flicker of awareness had appeared in the pain-fogged green-gold pupil – the first sign of life she had glimpsed in her former friend for some time.

"…H-H…Hol…ly…?" he queried, gazing through a haze at the face of the girl bending over him and tending his wounds.

Coltia simply stared at the dazed monster silently, not knowing how to reply. After an awkward moment, she turned to examine his wounds further, tears blurring her vision. She was fully aware of the presence of others surrounding her: the wolves that had accompanied her into the woods fanned out and sniffing the air, keeping alert for any sign of further threat.

And Scaler, still watching in silence, dark eyes burning holes into her back, staring directly through her to the wounded monster she crouched beside…

* * *

A burst of pale golden light at the edge of his vision caused Moo to glance up from where he had been sitting upon his throne, mismatched eyes narrowed into contemplating slits. He disliked being disturbed, but this particular visitor earned his immediate attention.

The silken dress was torn at the hem, the edges frayed and ripped where branches and thorns had caught the fragile material. The waves of golden hair were not glimmering with as much trapped light as they normally did, and a few strands stuck here and there to the sweaty, flushed face.

The Golden General Vanity slumped to her knees on the cold ebony floor, bowing so low that her bangs brushed the smooth surface beneath her.

"My lord, I bring t-terrible news. The h-hunt went awry…"

"Really?" Moo's tone was calm, seemingly unaffected by this pronouncement. "Explain."

A visible shudder coursed through the pixie hybrid's slender frame. One fine-boned hand clenched and unclenched, held mere inches above the floor, as if she was considering slamming her fist into the hard tile.

"I was b-besieged, my lord. T-the rebels evaded my grasp… a-and one of them, the cloaked scaled hare proceeded to d-defeat Suezo when I sent the worthless eyeball after him!"

"Did he kill him?"

"N-no, my lord… The rebels… T-the rebels… r-reclaimed him…"

The pixie's trembling worsened, her entire body beginning to quiver. Her face remained mostly shadowed by her hanging bangs, masking her expression. An odd tone entered her voice, however, as she went on.

"T-they… reclaimed S-Suezo as… o-one of… t-their o-own…"

She pushed herself up on one arm, and abruptly her face was visible – not contorted in anger or terror, but with a mixture of joy and malice. It was suddenly clear that the golden general was not shaking with rage, but rather with contained laughter… a dam that was rapidly weakening, as she lost full control of her voice. Tossing back her head, Vanity allowed her wicked chortling to echo off the chamber's shadowed walls, throwing out her arms.

Moo looked on, a pleased and satisfied smirk twisting the visible side of his lips.

"Perfect," he murmured, crimson eye gleaming a little brighter as it reflected the image of his laughing commander. "Very well played, Golden General Vanity."

"T-thank you, my lord," the pixie hybrid replied, regaining control of herself. Wiping a tear away from the corner of one jaden eye, she straightened, adding, "Once again, your fine strategy is working just as planned. The rebels are playing right into your hands…"

"Indeed," and the tyrant clasped his gloved hands together in front of him, fingers entwining as he leaned forward slightly in his seat. Mismatched eyes glittering brightly, he added, "And now, my _friends_… The hunt truly begins…"


	28. Suspicions Head versus Heart

* * * Episode Twenty-eight: Suspicions – Head versus Heart * * *

The forest was blazing, each leaf afire with verdant brilliance from the caress of the morning sun. A gentle breeze rustled through the trees, stirring the laden boughs and dislodging some of their load, carrying them off in playful twirls and graceful sweeps.

A few of the freed leaves wafted past a motionless figure standing in the center of the forest clearing. At first, the towering monster was as silent and steady as the boulder his tough skin caused him to resemble, as he failed to react even when one of the leaves brushed just past his nose. His soft gray eyes remained fixed firmly ahead, drinking in the beauty of the forest before him, as memories of another time and place echoed through his wandering thoughts.

__

Home… it was what the stone giant desperately longed for. This clearing was all too reminiscent of the place he had once belonged, the secluded valley so far away that had once given birth to so many dreams and hopes… before everything was swept away by a single, tragic encounter.

How long would it take, he wondered, before he could walk into that valley he had left behind and find it reborn, the sad scattering of lost discs replaced by the vibrant, cheerful faces of the monsters he had been raised by and alongside for the majority of his life? How long before he could honestly leave behind the pain and loneliness he had known after everything was taken away by a senseless conflict?

How long before he could face the other Searchers again, secure in the knowledge that his home was now completely restored?

He had achieved his primary reason for joining the others in their quest: reviving the Phoenix, allowing all the monsters that had been killed and reduced to lost discs to be reborn. He wanted nothing more than to return to the way of life he had left behind… to have that measure of peace and contentment back home once more.

Still… It hurt to leave the other rebels behind. In the relatively short time that he had traveled with them, Golem had come to see the Searchers as true friends. He'd found in them the solace that had been missing ever since war had robbed him of all he'd ever known.

Making his way back home alone… Not only was it slow going, but the journey seemed much longer with no one beside him, no companions to talk to or even simply to have alongside him.

But he couldn't expect them to simply follow him blindly when they had no other reason to come this way. There were so many other things to be attended to, and each of the Searchers needed to follow their own paths for now.

Tiger of the Wind had already departed just a short time after Genki had been taken back home by the Phoenix. The sapphire-furred wolf wanted only to be reunited with his younger brother Grey Wolf – to find his own family that had been lost during the course of Moo's horrible reign. How could Golem possibly even consider delaying something like that for his own petty reasons?

No, Tiger had left the others to find his own way, and it was for the best that Golem followed his lead and dealt with this by himself. Perhaps afterwards… After returning home and seeing all his friends again, he could find a way to contact the other Searchers and invite them to come visit… It would be nice to have everybody meet each other…

The stone giant gazed appreciatively around at his surroundings for a while longer, watching the falling leaves sweep in their graceful midair dance. He was reluctant to leave this beautiful scenery behind, knowing full well it would be a long time before he would be standing in another vibrant glade, the one he once called home…

But the longer he hesitated, the longer it would take to reach his destination.

Finally, with a faint sigh, Golem shifted his weight, slowly placing one foot in front of him, then another. As always, his pace remained slow, steady, unhurried, his attention more on his lush surroundings than the road ahead.

He had barely taken a few steps forward when he suddenly paused again. This time, however, his hesitation was not born out of his desire to stay and study this lovely glade a bit longer.

The muted crack of a dry, brittle twig underneath someone's weight had rung out in the glade – and not from beneath the stone giant's own heavy feet. He was no longer alone.

Slowly, careful not to make any sudden movements, Golem pivoted on his heel. Again his gray eyes swept over his surroundings, only this time, not out of appreciation of the forest's beauty. Now, his sole purpose was discovering the identity of his new companion in the clearing.

Golem's lips tightened into a hard line, and for an instant frustration glittered in his gentle eyes. Just because Moo had been defeated didn't mean that all the monsters in the world had automatically become pure-hearted. Unfortunately, there were still those more than willing to take advantage of those weaker than them. Golem counted primarily on his intimidating size to scare any would-be attackers away, but if he was forced to defend himself or some other victim in need…

His hands convulsed once into fists, then relaxed slightly, the fingers remaining curled. Golem prayed it wouldn't have to come to that.

The soft pad of steady footsteps came closer, and Golem turned to face their owner, bracing himself for the worst. While his body looked relaxed, save for the way his fingers remained curled, the stone giant was silently preparing for the possibility of conflict. He'd do his best to avoid such an outcome, but…

However, as his gaze fell upon a familiar figure, Golem relaxed, breathing a soft sigh of relief. Surprise colored the recognition in his eyes, for this newcomer had been the last face he expected to see in such a place, so soon after parting ways. This failed to keep a welcoming smile from spreading over the towering monster's face, and he nodded down at his new companion in the glade.

"Tiger…"

His fellow member of the Courageous Seven cast an appraising look up at his towering ally, a typical neutral expression on his scarred face. Pale golden eyes flicked their gaze from the giant's beaming face to the bright blossoms surrounding them, and a wry smirk twisted the lupine's lips.

"…I see you've been… sidetracked on your little journey home," he commented lightly, not bothering to keep a sarcastic note from entering his deep voice.

Golem felt his cheeks flush red with embarrassment at the wolf's teasing tone. It was true, he was stalling a bit longer than he should have… the longer he tarried, the longer his friends back home would be left wondering where he was. However, at the same time, a nagging question tugged at the back of the larger monster's mind.

"…Your brother," he asked slowly after a moment's pause, taking time to collect his thoughts and consider how to phrase his awkward query. "Have you…"

Before Golem could finish, however, the blue wolf abruptly answered with a swift, single shake of his head. The golden eyes seemed to darken slightly, as if the mere mention of his absent sibling drew a veil of shadows over his face.

"…Ah."

Golem bowed his head slightly, uncertain of what his next action should be. In the back of his mind, alarms were continuing to go off; something about this entire encounter seemed askew, off, not exactly right. Uncomfortable feelings twisted deep in his gut, churning like a storm-tossed ocean.

__

- …Tiger left the group before I did… How did he know I was returning home…? -

__

- It's the obvious conclusion, naturally. Why else would I leave the others, after all? We each have our own reasons… -

__

- …But… if he hasn't located Grey Wolf yet… why is he here? …Does he need my help…? -

__

- …Wait… Would Tiger even WANT my help? He always seemed to prefer doing things on his own… -

"…What's wrong, Golem? Not happy to see me?"

Despite the lightness with which the question was asked, Tiger of the Wind's golden eyes appeared to burn with a fierce intensity as he gazed calmly up at his towering friend.

Uncertainty welling in his chest, Golem nevertheless quickly shook his head in denial, feeling ashamed at his own inner struggle with his conflicting feelings.

__

- Tiger is my friend. I trust my friends. -

__

- But why do I suddenly feel so strange about doing just that? -

"Just…surprised," he admitted freely, shrugging helplessly at his own confusion.

The lupine monster simply continued to pin Golem with his steady gaze, the faintest hint of amusement beginning to light his stern features.

"Ah. And why, pray tell, is that?"

__

- …Yes. Why AM I feeling this way? -

Self-consciously, Golem rubbed the back of his head, as if hoping the action would erase his doubts. Instead, they steadily increased, as did his discomfort. Something was definitely wrong, causing his senses to go on full alert despite the stone giant's private confusion.

"…Why…"

"Why what?" prompted Tiger, never averting his steady gaze from the taller monster's face.

"…Why is Tiger not searching for Grey Wolf?" Golem finally wondered aloud, his face beginning to burn again at his sudden bluntness.

The lupine monster seemed unaffected by his companion's awkward question. Instead, the blue wolf merely closed his eyes, finally ending his intense study of Golem's embarrassed face. His shoulders shook briefly once, twice, a small tremor running down his lithe back. Golem just looked down at Tiger in ever-growing confusion, not knowing what to think of his friend's odd behavior.

"Why is Tiger not searching for Grey Wolf?" he echoed, causing the stone giant to start in surprise at his scathing, mocking tone.

Golem's shock at his fellow Searcher's behavior only increased dramatically as he heard the sapphire-furred lupine's next statement, however, the harsh whisper that followed in a voice that was both alien and all too familiar to the rebel.

"Because Tiger no longer has any reason to."

Abruptly the wolf's head snapped up, eyes flying open, and Golem reared back in shock at the sight of the golden irises glowing an unholy crimson. A blood-curdling howl ripped from the lupine monster's lungs as he fell in a boneless collapse to the ground, shadows twisting round his body as if stirred by the frigid winds that had suddenly began to swirl through the clearing.

Golem stared, stumbling back a few steps as the cold wind buffeted his granite skin. Unconsciously, he then took a faltering step forward, toward the center of the swirling hurricane of ice and shadow that had enveloped his companion, reaching out with one shaking hand in a gesture of helpless concern.

It was always in his nature to worry about the safety of others over himself, after all.

Unfortunately, compassion has its cost at times.

As he reached out to the place where his fellow rebel had vanished, the frigid torrents swept out to embrace the giant. A sheet of jagged ice formed on his outstretched fingers, then swiftly spread over his arm and down his body. Before Golem could react, the glittering substance had engulfed him entirely, leaving the stone cold to the touch.

The shadow winds dissipated as quickly as they had sprung up, revealing a new figure standing in the glade. Where once a lupine familiar to the trapped Golem had crouched was a monster that, as he straightened to his full height, was on perfect eye level with the stone man. This face was also familiar to the former rebel, but certainly not a beloved one, or anyone he had ever hoped to lay eyes upon again.

A gauntlet-clad hand reached out and gently caressed the stone giant's frozen cheek, an expression of mock tenderness, as crimson eyes glinted tauntingly at the shock trapped in his prey's widened gray eyes.

"No, Tiger no longer has any reason to seek out his dearly departed brother," purred the tyrant, his tone betraying the cruel smile hidden beneath his ebony mask. "Just as Golem no longer has any reason to return home…"

The ice covering Golem's body reflected that of his captor, the cruel crimson eyes superimposed over the stone giant's own blankly staring cool gray ones…

* * *

Hare's eyes shot wide open, and for a long moment he just stared up at the ceiling, and at the single hand he had reached out with involuntarily while caught in his nightmare.

No… hardly a nightmare. Somehow, the tawny-furred rabbit knew the vision he had just witnessed was more a reflection of grim reality, a past event he had no hope of altering.

Several things were still unclear, but one thing was certain: Golem had been tricked and captured by Tiger – by Moo – some time ago.

The dream wasn't clear on exactly when this tragedy had occurred, but Hare had the sinking feeling it had happened sometime before the failed assault on Genki… Meaning that his old friend had been in the enemy's hands for quite some time, a prisoner while his fellow rebels went on with their lives unaware…

__

* How long… how long ago was it? Weeks…? Months…? …Oh, Goddesses… *

His wavering brown eyes squeezed shut, and his chest heaved in ragged gasps as he fought back the almost overwhelming urge to cry. Crying wouldn't solve the problem. Tears wouldn't free Golem from whatever fate and Moo had done to him…

__

* The worst part is, there are fates… worse than death… *

"…Much worse than death…" murmured the rabbit unconsciously, staring up at the ceiling in despair.

"…You're right."

Hare jerked upright at the whispered agreement, his ears folding back and head whipping around sharply as he turned to stare at the visitor he didn't even realize he had. Holly regarded him with sympathetic bronze eyes from where she sat on a chair in another corner of the room.

"………"

"…Hare, please talk to me," the girl pleaded, getting up and pulling her chair a bit closer to the bed. "I know… I know there's so much you're trying to hide from us, but…"

"Leave me alone," the tan bunny grumbled, falling back onto his side and turning away. Burying his face in his knees, he muttered, "Just go away, alright? I can deal with this myself…"

"No, you can't," Holly retorted, an edge creeping into her normally soft voice suddenly. "Hare, hiding things isn't going to solve anything! Believe me… it only makes things worse…"

Hare's ears twitched, and he stole a furtive glance at her over his shoulder. Sensing she had his attention despite his body language, Holly took a deep breath and pushed on.

"Believe me, I know it only makes things much worse," she repeated with conviction. Her gentle eyes misted with tears of remembrance, she lowered her gaze to the floorboards and continued haltingly, "You're not the only one who's hidden things from the others because you were afraid of how they'd react."

Again, the bunny's long ears swiveled in her direction, betraying the fact he was listening to her more than he'd like to admit. Holly's hands twisted together in her lap, the slender fingers pressing into her pale skin. Even though she was trying to get Hare to reveal more information, this was increasingly feeling to her like she was the one under pressure.

In a sense, she was, for the girl was currently fighting a secret battle with herself over whether or not she should finally confess something that had eaten away at her secretly for a long time.

"…It hurts," she murmured, "when you're hiding something painful like that. Even if it seems like it's a much better idea to not let anybody else know, for fear of causing them to feel the same pain… When you take it upon yourself to suffer alone, it hurts even worse. It nags and tears and you want to tell somebody, just so maybe you won't have to bear it alone… Only you can't, for fear… for fear…"  


"…Holly. Are you trying to figure out a way to tell me that Moo originally was in your father's body…?"

It took a few seconds for the soft whisper to fully register in Holly's mind: she half-nodded absently, then froze, bronze eyes widening in realization. Choking back a horrified gasp, she whipped about to stare at the tawny-furred bunny.

"How…?"

A pause, then Hare glanced over at her stunned face. She noticed in dull amazement that he was smirking slightly, a mere shadow of the cocky smile he usually seemed to have when he figured something out. This time, however, there was no humor in the expression. His brown eyes shimmered with pain and sorrow instead of mischievous delight.

"How long…? For a while now. Or do you mean, you want to know how I knew…?"

Holly slowly nodded, barely aware of the movement, or of the fact that she had sunk down into a chair.

"In Moo's floating castle," Hare started slowly, keeping his voice calm and collected. "The first time, I mean. After you were kidnapped. There were a lot of things there that I didn't understand at first. See, at first I figured he'd taken you away just 'cause you had the Magic Stone. If he took you, he also took our chance of finding the Phoenix away."

Hare paused, then dropped his gaze to the floor.

"Honestly, I figured that you were as good as dead," he confessed softly. "I thought that he must have killed you the second he was out of our sight."

"………"

"Then, when we got there and found out you were alive, and he said that the Magic Stone could locate his original body, I thought, 'Okay, so he kidnapped her to make her use the Stone for him.' Of course, THAT theory was quickly proved wrong when he used it himself."

Something in his tone of voice tipped Holly off to the fact that he was frustrated with his inability to know the truth. She shifted her weight slightly, nervously, even though she sensed his anger was directed more at himself than at her.

"So I'm wondering, 'What exactly is his game here? He doesn't need Holly for his plans, and she'd be a big threat to him if she escapes, so why hasn't he killed her? She's worthless to him!' …No offense," he rapidly added, hastily looking over at her.

"None taken," replied Holly weakly.

"It wasn't until later that I managed to figure it all out," he continued. "And actually, it was something you said that made it all fall into place."

He paused, then locked eyes with her again.

"That dagger," he said simply, softly. "Moo gave it to you to convince you that he really was your father, didn't he?"

"…Y…yes," confessed Holly, and her fingers impulsively strayed to where the talisman was sheathed. Hare nodded.

"That's what I figured," he told her. "When Suezo asked where you had gotten it, and you replied it reminded you of your father… I couldn't help but wonder how in the world you managed to get and hold onto a weapon while Moo was holding you hostage. And the fact that you'd not only gotten a weapon, but one that reminded you of your father… Well, that's when it all made sense. Moo's taking you away, his being able to use the Magic Stone, the fact that he tried to force you to join instead of just killing you outright…"

"…Why didn't you say anything to the others?" Holly asked, bronze eyes wavering as she met the rabbit's steady gaze.

"Hey. I know exactly what it's like to want to keep something a secret," replied Hare, shrugging lightly. "Besides, what could I say? It's not exactly polite to go, 'Hey, Holly, I was just wondering, is Moo your father or something?' Couldn't very well go and say that in front of the others, and…"

Again he dropped his gaze back to the floor as he murmured, "I didn't want to hurt you like that. 'Cause it really, really would have crushed you to have the others treat you differently."

"………Then… you know… that I know what I'm talking about," Holly said hesitantly, shaking her head slowly as the shock of realizing her darkest secret wasn't quite as secret as she thought.

"………" Hare shook his head slowly, then risked meeting her pleading bronze eyes for a minute as he insisted, "This is… different. It…"

"Is it? Is it, really?!?" demanded Holly, exasperation entering her tone again. "I can't say I'm so certain."

"No… You don't… know…"

"I know what I've seen! I know you've been trying to hide that the Phoenix's Tear's been reacting to Poseidon!"

Hare's eyes widened a fraction at that, and Holly knew she'd hit a mark finally.

"I saw it glowing silver the last time he attacked. I saw it stop glowing when he left. I heard you whisper something… asking Tiger how he could do something to Golem."

Hare winced at each blunt statement, his long ears drooping at the accusation in the girl's eyes, tempered as it was with sympathy and compassion.

"Please, Hare, just tell me what you know!" she implored again, leaning closer to him.

"…Ti…Moo captured Golem. A lo…some time ago, I'm not exactly certain when," Hare said slowly, eyes wrenching shut as he recited the knowledge in an almost monotone voice. "He was… on his way to his home village, when Moo intercepted him in Tiger's body…"

Holly also closed her eyes in silent pain for a long moment. Just because her suspicions had finally been confirmed, it didn't mean she enjoyed her so-called victory.

"…And then…?" she prompted after a few minutes of grim silence had passed.

"…I don't know. The vision ended right after Moo captured him."

Hare shook his head slowly, then opened his shining brown eyes a crack and stared intently at his paws, clenching them tightly in his lap.

"…Poseidon's the key to all of this," he whispered. "The Tear keeps reacting to him… He's the cause of all my recent nightmares… Even my newest nightmare, the one where Moo captured Golem, was from his mind. He… knows more than he lets on, and he… can lead us to wherever Golem is now…"

"…Hare." Holly locked gazes with the bunny again, forcing her voice to remain as steady as possible as she revealed, "I think Poseidon is Golem."

Outside, a muted crash could be heard.

"Wh-what?!?" Hare stared at her, horrified.

"…It makes sense, don't you think?" Holly sniffled, absently rubbing the back of one hand over her eyes as she pushed on, "If Moo could turn Tiger against us, and he's captured Golem as you said, then…"

"Holly, we don't know that for sure…"

"Don't know what for sure? You just said yourself that Moo kidnapped Golem, and you're not certain when!"

Hare recoiled, stammering, "Y-yeah, but… Poseidon's too different from Golem for us to assume they're the same monster."

"Are you saying that Tiger's like Moo?"

"Holly, that's not what I meant and you know it!" Hare cried, the stress getting to be too much for him. "And that's… totally different… Moo's possessed Tiger, but for Golem to be Poseidon…"

"…He'd have to be fused with a Jell?" Holly shook her head. "Jells aren't exactly rare monsters, Hare. We know that from all of the raids alone…"

"…I'm just saying, we can't assume they're the same monster." Hare rested his head on his knees and frowned thoughtfully. "…Poseidon's the key, I can tell you that much. He knows where Golem is. But for him to actually be…"

He shook his head again, a violent shudder racing down his back. Holly gazed at him sadly, not knowing what to say.

To be quite honest, she was surprised Hare was resisting this possibility so firmly. After he seemed so accepting of the fact Moo had once possessed her father, prior to being defeated and then taking Tiger… Then again, that in itself was tragedy enough. Maybe that was behind his denial…

__

- Having to fight one former friend is enough… The thought that we might be pitted against two of our best friends… -

"…But if it is true, we'll have to deal with it sooner or later," she sighed, getting to her feet. Casting Hare one last pitiful look, she told him, "I hope you're right about Golem not being Poseidon… but I just don't know… I have a horrible feeling about it."

She turned away and walked towards the door, then stopped short. Much to her surprise, it was wide open, even though she was certain she'd closed it when she came in… On a hunch, she peeked outside, and her heart promptly froze for an instant.

A tray was lying on the floor, its contents upended and spilled across the wooden boards. It was obvious most of the spill had been wiped away, the dirty rag dropped on the discarded tray. Somebody had taken the time to clean the mess of spilled food up, but hadn't bothered to put it away yet and just left it there, an odd mixture of consideration and sloppiness.

Holly stared at it in absolute horror, recalling hearing the dim sound of something crashing in the hallway outside, and a brief exchange that had taken place a bit earlier that day…

"…Oh, Goddess, no," she breathed, and took off down the hallway, leaving the discarded tray behind.

* * *

Elsewhere on the ship, another female figure was making her way through the maze of passages under the deck in a daze. Tears of disbelief blurred leaf green eyes, as Serinity fought back the almost overwhelming urge to collapse right there in the corridor and cry.

__

- It's not true. It's not true, it's not true, it's not true! Miss Holly can't be right, she just can't…! -

__

- Miss Holly… Why didn't you tell me before…? -

They had both been waiting in Hare's room, fighting back the impulse to try and wake the poor youngster up as he tossed and cried in the clutches of his latest nightmare.

Finally, Holly had chosen to break the tense silence that had fallen between the two observers. Turning to the pixie hybrid, she forced a tired smile, one that didn't touch her sorrowful bronze eyes in the least.

"…Serinity, do you think you could get us something to eat…? I haven't had anything in a while, and I don't believe Hare's eaten much lately either."

Serinity had jumped at the chance to get out of the room for a while, in all honesty. Even if it didn't seem likely that Hare would actually eat much once he woke up from whatever nightmare he was currently suffering from, at the very least, she would feel like she was doing something. Considering how little she was able to help the others anymore… at least, how little she felt she was helping… even the most menial task she could accomplish could give her a small bit of satisfaction at doing something.

She was no fighter, and for all the times her healing abilities had been called upon during this voyage, they never seemed to be enough.

Retrieving a meal had proven simple enough, especially since the current cook seemed to enjoy her company whenever she visited, and after talking to him for a while Serinity had gotten a few bowls of stew. Walking back to the room, she opened the door and was mildly surprised to hear Hare already awake and engaged in conversation with Holly.

Dixie had always taught Serinity it was rude to walk in on the middle of another's conversation. It simply wasn't good manners. Besides, she got the impression they were in the middle of a rather private discussion.

So she'd opted to simply wait outside for a lull in the conversation, then enter and offer some nourishment to them. Hopefully, the stew wouldn't grow too cold in the meantime…

But then, that hadn't mattered any longer when she dropped the tray in her shock.

Serinity hadn't meant to eavesdrop. It was just that her feline ears were quite adept at picking up sounds. And when she heard Golem's name mentioned, she couldn't help but listen in…

__

- It's not true. It's not, it can't, it's not…! -

__

- Golem is… not Poseidon. There's simply no way… His eyes… -

__

- …Golem's eyes are warm gray. They're inviting and kind and compassionate… -

__

- Poseidon's eyes… ice blue. Too cold to be his… -

__

- It's impossible. Impossible… -

Serinity tripped, stumbled, and one hand shot out towards the wall instinctively, allowing her to brace herself. For a long moment, the flower pixie stood where she was, half-leaning against the wall, head bowed, wings limp, listening to the sound of her own ragged breathing.

__

- …No. No no no no no. -

__

- Golem is Golem. Poseidon is Poseidon. Simple as that. -

__

- Because if Golem was Poseidon… -

__

- …And he's NOT!… -

__

- …I would have known. I would have recognized him. -

__

- His warm gray eyes… -

__

- Poseidon's eyes are not his eyes. -

__

- Gray is gray. Blue is blue. -

__

- Warm and kind. Cold and cruel. -

__

- There's no comparison. No way anybody could change so completely. -

__

- They're total opposites… -

__

- …Opposites… -

Serinity slowly righted herself, one pale hand still resting against the coarse wooden wall.

__

- Warm gray can never become ice blue. -

__

- Kindness can never beget cruelty. -

__

- It simply isn't possible. -

__

- Golem is still out there. He needs us to find him. -

__

- He needs… no, I need… to see him again. -

She took a shaky step forward down the corridor, then another.

__

- Those warm gray eyes… I'll find them again. -

__

- And it will never, never be in those cold blue ones. -

__

- Because they simply don't exist there… -

* * *

Holly finally found Serinity almost two hours later. The pixie hybrid was staring out a portal at the seemingly endless sea, through the translucent image of her own pale face, her own shimmering verdant eyes. She stepped into the chamber behind her and shut the door, then just stood there, not daring to approach, just waiting. Waiting for the pain to begin, the outraged sobbing and frantic denials, the apology and attempted explanation, the begging for forgiveness.

Nothing but silence. For several minutes, an eternity for both females, neither made a sound, neither moved.

"…Miss Holly?"

A tense pause. The human girl waited in vain for injured leaf green pools to meet pleading bronze panes.

"…You're wrong."

"…I pray you're right, Serinity."

In the end, that was all either really needed to say.


End file.
